Currently on view at the Museum of Western Art in Kerrville, Texas, is an exhibition featuring 55 original works by A.R. Mitchell (1889-1977), often referred to as “the king of Western pulp illustration.” The exhibition was brought about through a collaboration between MoWA executive director Dr. Darrell Beauchamp, A.R. Mitchell Museum of Western Art executive director Allyson Sheumaker and curator Grace Albert.
Bustin’, oil on canvas, 35 x 26 in.
“Viewers will get an inside look at Mitchell ‘the man’ through a look at personal memorabilia and ‘Mitchell the artist’ by examining his illustrations,” Beauchamp explains of the exhibition titled A.R. Mitchell: The King of the Western Pulp Illustrators. “In many cases, we are showing Mitchell’s process…”
The exhibition is a vibrant journey through the life and work of one of America’s great visual storytellers. “From the dusty trails of the American West to the bold covers of pulp magazines, Mitchell captured the drama, grit and romance of frontier life with unmatched energy and color,” says Beauchamp. “A cowboy at heart and an illustrator by trade, Mitchell brought the Old West to life for readers across the nation, while also preserving its spirit through fine art, teaching and the founding of a museum inspired by his personal collection and interest in Western history.”
Untitled (Yucca and Cow Skull), oil on board, 10 x 14 in.
This exhibit traces the vivid arc of Mitchell’s career: from his early days illustrating action-packed dime novels to his later, more contemplative oil paintings of Western landscapes, adobes and ranch life. “Along the way, you’ll discover the tools, inspirations and personal stories behind the man who lived—and painted—a true Western life,” adds Beauchamp.
Mitchel’s artistic vision can be traced back to his origins in Trinidad, Colorado—once known as the center of one of the largest cattle and sheep operations in the state—and then later, working as a ranch hand in New Mexico.
Three for the Road, oil on canvas, panel, 18 x 24 in.
“Mitchell began his professional career in 1912 at the Trinidad Chronicle-News working in advertising and circulation,” Beauchamp elaborates. “In 1925, Mitchell and fellow artist Harold von Schmidt moved to New York City to study at the Grand Central School of Art under renowned instructor Harvey Dunn. By 1927, he was selling paintings to publishers for use as covers for Western pulp magazines. His dramatic illustrations immortalized the lives of cowboys, cowgirls and Native Americans, primarily in Northern New Mexico and Colorado. By 1945, he was teaching art at Trinidad State Junior College and in later years he helped establish Trinidad’s Bloom Mansion and Baca House as historic sites. In 1955, Mitchell and several friends purchased the Baca House and converted it into a museum, where he served as its curator for many years.”
A.R. Mitchell with his horse.
Painting highlights from the exhibition include Bustin’, depicting a rider on a bucking horse, The work was inspired by a photograph Mitchell took at a local rodeo. The photo is a part of the A.R. Mitchell Museum’s archives. The concept sketch, with notes from the artist, is featured in the exhibition, as is the original illustration and the cover.
A small untitled landscape piece showing yucca and a cow skull “is a plein air piece [created] after Mitchell moved back to Trinidad. Probably east of Trinidad near Branson, Colorado,” shares Sheumaker. “We don’t not have a date, but it would have been [completed] after 1942. It’s one of my favorites.”
Visit the Museum of Western Art through April 18 to view the entirety of the exhibition. —
A.R. Mitchell: The King of the Western Pulp Illustrators
Through April 18, 2026
The Museum of Western Art
1550 Bandera Highway
Kerrville, TX 78028, (830) 896-2553
www.museumofwesternart.com
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