Wildlife and Western Heroes: Alexander Phimister Proctor, Sculptor

The author, Professor Peter Hassrick, uncovers the full story of Proctor’s adventure in art over a period of nearly seventy years. Heavily illustrated in colour and duotone, the 256 page hardback book features the full range of Proctor’s oeuvre, including monumental and studio sculpture, plaster and clay maquettes, and drawings. A series of seven essays covers the key influences and major achievements of his career, with over 50 illustrations depicting the artist’s most important commissions. These include the Buffalo Head for the White House State Dining Room (1909) and the massive Mustangs at the University of Texas (1948), as well as smaller studio pieces such as his Indian Warrior (1900-02), which is shown on the cover of the book, and Panther (1922-23). The volume also features rare archival and studio images and personal recollections of the artist’s son and grandson. As well as having a contagious sense of joy and humour, Proctor embraced adventure, both physical - he killed his first bear at the age of sixteen - and intellectual - he received the coveted Rinehart Scholarship in 1898, which funded three highly influential years of study in Paris. He also won many awards during his lifetime, including the Prix de Rome in 1898 and a gold medal at the 1900 Paris Universal Exposition. He was appointed Resident Sculptor at the American Academy in Rome in 1925. Regarded as America’s most prolific sculptor of outdoor monuments during the first half of the 20th century, examples of his work can be found in many major American cities and universities, from New York and Washington, D.C., to Chicago, Dallas, Denver, San Francisco, and Portland.