Gene Kloss (1903-1996) was an accomplished watercolorist and oil painter but it was her distinctive “painted etchings” of Southwestern scenes that defined her legacy as one the most important printmakers in American art history. Kloss was born in Oakland, California, and earned her degree at UC Berkely, but her first visit to Taos, New Mexico, in 1921 (her 60-pound printing press in tow) had a profound impact. “I was a New Mexican from then on,” she said, even though she and her husband did not move to Taos permanently until 1960.
Morning Worship, 1939, etching, drypoint and aquatint, ed. of 30, 14 x 107/8 in. Couse-Sharp Historic Site, Gift of Joy and Frank Purcell.
Through May 31, two Taos museums, the Couse-Sharp Historic Site and Harwood Museum of Art, will host Legacy in Line, complementary exhibitions that celebrate Kloss’ deep connection with and her sensitive renderings of the region and its rich, diverse cultures. The exhibition was inspired by a recent gift of Kloss prints and archival materials to both institutions by Joy and Frank Purcell.
“Kloss possessed a unique artistic sensibility and technical virtuosity that combined to create a singular vison of the ‘other’ in New Mexico,” explains Davison Koenig, Couse-Sharp Historic Site executive director and curator. “During her time in Northern New Mexico, Kloss spent time with Native friends attending pueblo ceremonials. She was a faithful observer of the Catholic traditions of the Hispano people nestled in the valleys of the Sangre de Cristo mountains. In her prolific career, Gene created an iconic body of work that is synonymous with the people, landscape and culture of New Mexico.”
Moonlight Circle Dance, 1956, etching, drypoint and aquatint, ed. of 125, 7¾ x 9¾ in. Couse-Sharp Historic Site, Gift of Joy and Frank Purcell.
One highlight in the show is Morning Worship from 1939, which recently set a new artist record when it sold for $60,000. The piece, created using a combination of etching, drypoint and aquatint, depicts the interior of the iconic Ranchos de Taos Church (San Francisco de Asís) that Kloss created from memory after attending a Sunday mass. In a letter she wrote, “I was in a way an outsider as I am not a Catholic, so the ritual was not familiar nor understood by me. However the ‘feel’ of a church, whatever the creed or its expression, can be experienced by anyone of a basically, what we call a ‘religious nature.’ Art is what I call plastic thought—hence in depicting this church interior everything was used to convey the mood—the heights, the light, the decorations, and above all, the kneeling congregation. I found that even if a single head was raised, the spirit was gone.”
Untitled, ca. 1930, watercolor, 9¾ x 143⁄16 in. Gift of Ila McAfee Turner. Harwood Museum of Art.
Koenig explains, “Morning Worship represents the epitome of Kloss’ unique abilities in rendering from memory the cultural practices of her adopted home in Northern New Mexico and translating them into a universal visual language appreciated by all.
“The body of her works has a consistent harmony in its balanced concern for the subject and for abstract principles of design,” Koenig continues. “Working from memory and quick sketches, Kloss produced remarkable images of life in Taos and the surrounding areas. Her work captures moments of Pueblo ceremonials, secret Penitente pilgrimages, quiet vistas, and daily life, cementing her memories as lasting images.
Centuries Old, 1979, etching, drypoint and aquatint, 127/8 x 191/8 in. Anonymous Gift. Harwood Museum of Art.
“Kloss’ work in New Mexico represents her maturity both as an artist and a technician, but more importantly her life in New Mexico allowed her to elucidate the spiritual profundity of our region in graphic form.” —
Legacy in Line: The Art of Gene Kloss
Through May 31, 2025
Couse-Sharp Historic Site
146 Kit Carson Road, Taos, NM 87571
(575) 751-0369, www.couse-sharp.org
Harwood Museum of Art
238 Ledoux Street, Taos, NM 87571
(575) 758-9826 www.harwoodmuseum.org
Powered by Froala Editor
