At the age of 15, Mark Maggiori, who was born in Fontainebleau, France, first glimpsed the American West through the front windshield of a car journeying from New York to San Francisco. Many years later, after an education at the Académie Julian and a successful career in the music industry, Maggiori would return to the United States with his wife, artist Petecia Le Fawnhawk. In 2010, following a visit to the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Maggiori was inspired to dedicate his life to documenting the American West. Known for his visions of modern cowboys and the nostalgic West, Maggiori says, “I love to paint and dream about the good old times. Cowboys always represented, for me, a time when America was still a promised land . . . a huge dream for whoever wanted it.” In addition to his scenes of cowboys and open spaces, Maggiori, who bought a home in Taos in 2020, has researched and created work inspired by the people of Taos Pueblo and the photographic archives of E. I. Couse.

markmaggiori.com

The two historic Navajo textiles the models are wearing in this painting are also available for sale as Lots 32 and 33. The winning bidder for the painting will have right of first refusal to purchase the textiles as well. If the winning bidder declines, the normal draw sale for the textiles will be conducted.