Arthur William Best stands as a notable figure in the annals of early twentieth-century North American art, a painter whose canvases captured the majestic and often untamed beauty of the American West. Born in Canada and later an integral part of the San Francisco art scene, Best's journey from musician to celebrated landscape artist is a compelling narrative of passion, dedication, and an enduring love for the natural world. His works, particularly those depicting the Grand Canyon, the deserts of Arizona, and the towering Sierra Nevada, continue to resonate with viewers, offering a glimpse into a period of American expansion and artistic exploration.
From Musical Notes to Brushstrokes: An Early Life
Arthur William Best was born on July 17, 1859, in Mount Pleasant, a region of Canada that provided the early backdrop to his life. His formative years were not initially directed towards the visual arts. Instead, music was his first calling. Arthur, proficient on the trombone, and his brother Harry, a skilled violinist, formed a small musical ensemble. This period of musical collaboration marked their early creative endeavors.
However, the allure of new horizons and perhaps different artistic pursuits eventually led the Best brothers southward. They made the significant move to the United States, choosing the vibrant and burgeoning city of San Francisco as their new home. They settled there in 1895, a time when California was increasingly becoming a beacon for artists drawn to its unique landscapes and dynamic cultural environment. It was after their band dissolved that the brothers, particularly Arthur, began to seriously explore the world of painting, a transition that would define his professional life.
The Artist Emerges: Forging a Path in San Francisco
Upon embracing painting, Arthur William Best quickly immersed himself in the artistic milieu of San Francisco. His talent did not go unnoticed. He became a staff artist for the San Francisco Examiner, a prominent newspaper, which would have provided him with regular work and exposure. This role likely involved creating illustrations and visual content, honing his skills in depiction and composition.
A significant commission came in 1905 from the Southern Pacific Railroad. At this time, railway companies were instrumental in promoting tourism to the newly accessible regions of the American West. They often employed artists to create captivating images that would entice travelers. Best was tasked with painting landscapes of the Southwest and Mexico, regions the railroad sought to popularize. His artistic journeys took him to the arid, colorful expanses of the Arizona desert, the awe-inspiring depths of the Grand Canyon, and the rugged peaks of the Sierra Nevada. These expeditions provided him with a wealth of subject matter that would become central to his oeuvre.
His dedication to capturing the grandeur of these locations was evident. In 1904, even before the major railroad commission, Best had already produced a series of paintings focused on the Grand Canyon, showcasing his early fascination with this natural wonder. His ability to translate the scale, light, and atmosphere of these vast landscapes onto canvas began to establish his reputation as a significant painter of the West.
Capturing the Majestic: Artistic Style and Signature Subjects
Arthur William Best's artistic style is firmly rooted in landscape painting, characterized by a keen observation of nature and a talent for conveying its grandeur. He worked primarily in oils, a medium that allowed for rich color and textural depth, well-suited to his subjects. His paintings of the Grand Canyon, for instance, are noted for their attempts to capture the immense scale and complex interplay of light and shadow within its layered rock formations.
His depictions of the Arizona desert showcase an appreciation for the unique beauty of arid landscapes – the subtle color variations in the earth and sky, the resilient flora, and the expansive sense of space. Similarly, his paintings of the Sierra Nevada mountains convey their ruggedness and majesty, often highlighting the atmospheric effects of light on snow-capped peaks and forested slopes.
Best's compositions were often grand and panoramic, aiming to immerse the viewer in the scene. He demonstrated a sophisticated understanding of light and shadow, using it to model forms, create depth, and evoke mood. His color palette was rich and varied, reflecting the natural hues of the Western landscapes he so admired. While realism was a core component of his style, his work also possessed a romantic sensibility, emphasizing the sublime and awe-inspiring qualities of nature. Beyond the wilderness, Best also occasionally turned his attention to urban scenes, though his fame rests predominantly on his powerful landscapes.
Notable Works and Enduring Images
While many of Arthur William Best's specific works may have been lost or are held in private collections, his series on the Grand Canyon remains a cornerstone of his artistic identity. Paintings simply titled "Grand Canyon" or variations thereof are representative of his dedication to this subject. These pieces are characterized by their ambitious scope and his efforts to convey the canyon's atmospheric depth and geological complexity.
Another notable subject for Best was Mount Tamalpais, a prominent peak in Marin County, California, overlooking the San Francisco Bay. His paintings of "Tamalpais" would have captured a more local, yet equally inspiring, natural landmark. These works likely showcased his ability to render the specific light and coastal atmosphere of Northern California.
The paintings commissioned by the Southern Pacific Railroad, though perhaps not individually titled in accessible records today, collectively formed an important body of work. These images of the Arizona desert, various sites in the Southwest, and scenes from Mexico were designed for public consumption, aiming to create an idealized and attractive vision of these destinations. They served a commercial purpose but were also a testament to Best's skill in landscape portrayal.
The Devastation of 1906
A tragic event profoundly impacted Arthur William Best's career and the preservation of his early work: the great San Francisco earthquake and subsequent fires of April 1906. This cataclysmic event devastated the city, and with it, countless homes, businesses, and cultural treasures were lost. For Best, the disaster was a personal and professional calamity. A significant number of his oil paintings and watercolors, representing years of work and artistic development, were destroyed in the fires.
This loss is a poignant reminder of the fragility of artistic heritage and the unpredictable events that can shape an artist's legacy. The destruction of these early works means that a portion of Best's artistic output is forever lost to us, making the surviving pieces all the more valuable for understanding his contribution to art. Despite this setback, Best continued to paint and contribute to the San Francisco art scene.
A Commitment to Art Education: The Best Art School
Beyond his personal artistic endeavors, Arthur William Best, along with his wife, Alice Leveque Best, made a significant contribution to the art community through education. Together, they founded the Best Art School in San Francisco. This institution would have played a role in nurturing aspiring artists in the city, providing instruction and fostering a creative environment.
Alice Leveque Best was herself an artist, and their collaboration in running the school suggests a shared passion for art and its dissemination. The establishment of an art school indicates a commitment to passing on artistic knowledge and skills, contributing to the cultural fabric of San Francisco. The Best Art School would have been a place where students could learn the fundamentals of drawing and painting, potentially influenced by Arthur Best's own focus on landscape and observational accuracy. He also maintained a studio and residence in San Francisco, further cementing his presence in the city's artistic life.
Contextualizing Best: A World of Artists
To fully appreciate Arthur William Best's place in art history, it's useful to consider him within the broader context of artistic movements and other painters, both his contemporaries and those from different eras who shaped the traditions he inherited or paralleled.
In the realm of American landscape painting, Best's work can be seen as part of a continuing tradition that had its roots in the Hudson River School painters like Asher B. Durand (1796-1886), known for his detailed and idyllic depictions of American scenery, and Frederic Edwin Church (1826-1900), famous for his grand, panoramic vistas of North and South America. While Best's style was his own, the emphasis on capturing the sublime beauty of the American continent was a shared theme.
Closer to his own time and geographical focus were artists who also famously depicted the American West. Albert Bierstadt (1830-1902), though slightly earlier, created monumental canvases of the Rocky Mountains and Yosemite that set a precedent for grand Western landscapes. Thomas Moran (1837-1926) was particularly renowned for his dramatic and colorful paintings of Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon, and his work would have been a significant benchmark for any artist tackling similar subjects.
In California, Best was part of a vibrant community. William Keith (1838-1911), a Scottish-American painter based in California, was celebrated for his romantic and often Tonalist landscapes of the California wilderness. Thomas Hill (1829-1908) was another prominent California artist, known for his depictions of Yosemite Valley and the White Mountains. Later, Maynard Dixon (1875-1946) would become famous for his modernist interpretations of the deserts and peoples of the Southwest, offering a different stylistic approach to similar terrains that Best painted.
Looking further afield and to different traditions, the art world of Best's time and preceding centuries was rich with diverse talents. For instance, the Dutch Golden Age produced masters like Matthias Withoos (1627-1703), a painter known for his detailed forest floor still lifes, or "sottobosco" paintings, showcasing an intense observation of nature, albeit on a more intimate scale than Best's grand vistas. His contemporary, Otto Marseus van Schrieck (c. 1619-1678), also specialized in these undergrowth scenes.
In France, portraiture and historical painting were prominent. Pierre Mignard I (1612-1695) was a leading French Baroque painter, celebrated for his elegant portraits of the French court, including Louis XIV, and his decorative schemes, such as the dome of the Val-de-Grâce church in Paris. His work represents a very different artistic current from landscape painting but highlights the diversity of European art.
The Neoclassical and later Romantic periods in France saw artists like Pierre-Paul Prud'hon (1758-1823), known for his allegorical paintings and graceful figures, bridging Classicism and Romanticism. Later, Pierre Baltard (1764-1846), an architect and engraver as well as a painter, contributed to the urban landscape of Paris and Lyon, notably with the Palais de Justice in Lyon, reflecting a classical architectural vision.
German-speaking lands also had a rich artistic heritage. Johann Herr (c. 1591-1661), a German painter and draughtsman, worked in an earlier period, contributing to the artistic tapestry of his time. The craft of the goldsmith, often intertwined with decorative arts, saw figures like Johann Adolf Gaap (1667-1724), a German silversmith active in Italy.
Printmaking was another vital artistic medium. The Dutch artist Hendrick van Schoel (active late 16th - early 17th century, though some sources give later dates, the earlier ones align better with known works like a 1579 engraving) was a printmaker and draughtsman, contributing to the dissemination of images through engravings. His work, like that of many printmakers, often involved landscapes, allegorical scenes, or maps.
The great British landscape painter J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851), with his revolutionary use of light and color to convey atmospheric effects and the power of nature, had a profound impact on the course of landscape painting, though his direct influence on Best is speculative. Nevertheless, Turner's work elevated the status of landscape art and explored the sublime in nature, a theme that resonated with many artists depicting grand natural scenes.
This array of artists, spanning different centuries, nationalities, and specialties, underscores the vast and varied world of art. Arthur William Best, working in early 20th-century California, carved his own niche, focusing on the unique landscapes of the American West, yet he was part of a long tradition of artists seeking to interpret and represent the world around them.
Later Years and Enduring Legacy
Arthur William Best continued to live and work in San Francisco until his death on January 26, 1935. The information provided in the initial query mentioned a tragic end linked to depression from a Gallipoli head injury, but this detail is highly likely a conflation with another individual, as Best's known biography as a Canadian-born painter active in California during the early 20th century does not align with Gallipoli campaign involvement. Such biographical mix-ups are not uncommon, especially with shared names. His death in San Francisco marked the end of a career dedicated to capturing the American landscape.
His legacy endures through his surviving paintings, which are held in various private and public collections. These works serve as important visual documents of the American West at a time of significant change and development. They also represent a particular style of landscape painting popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, one that valued both representational accuracy and an appreciation for the romantic grandeur of nature.
The Best Art School, co-founded with his wife, also contributed to his legacy by fostering artistic talent in San Francisco. Through his art and his teaching, Arthur William Best played a role in shaping the cultural landscape of his adopted city and in popularizing the majestic scenery of the American West. He is remembered as one of the notable early California painters who dedicated their talents to interpreting the unique environment of the region.
Conclusion: A Painter of Western Grandeur
Arthur William Best's life and work offer a fascinating window into the world of a landscape artist at the turn of the twentieth century. From his early days as a musician in Canada to his established career as a painter in San Francisco, Best pursued his artistic vision with dedication. His canvases, filled with the light, color, and scale of the Grand Canyon, the Arizona desert, and the Sierra Nevada, celebrated the natural beauty of the American West.
Despite the tragic loss of many early works in the 1906 earthquake, his surviving paintings and his contribution to art education through the Best Art School secure his place in the history of Californian art. He was part of a generation of artists who helped to define the visual identity of the West, creating images that continue to inspire awe and appreciation for the nation's diverse and dramatic landscapes. Arthur William Best's art remains a testament to the enduring power of nature and the artist's ability to capture its essence on canvas.
