Student Artwork Guide
Copyright This work is in the public domain. William Henry Holmes died in 1933; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 2003.
In context
In Mexico — William Henry Holmes
The original measures 24 × 36 cm (height × width), drawn here beside an adult of average height.
Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 87 at death.
Painted when the artist was 72. The artist lived to 87. 17 of the 34 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.
Shaded: the lifetime of William Henry Holmes (1846–1933) ▲ this work, 1918 every dated painting, decade by decade
First works: up to 1880 Main working years: 1880–1927 Late works: from 1927
Those three bands split the works this catalogue has a date for into a first quarter, a middle half and a last quarter. They are not the artist’s complete output: a thin stretch may be a gap in the record rather than a quiet spell. The same years with the artist’s life laid along them
Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.
More works to set beside this one: topimpressionists.com/en/art/similar/william-henry-holmes-in-mexico-AQTRSS-en/
Measured from the image
Main colour
Putty #ccc0b2
Catalogued palette
These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour
The ten leading countries
Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.
Together these works take 91.9% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 59 works by this artist, of which 23 were looked at at least once. This painting ranks 10 of them, with 2.9% of that attention (100 visits). The same counts, month by month
Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.
About this artwork
In Mexico — William Henry Holmes
The painting In Mexico by William Henry Holmes is a stunning watercolor that showcases the artist's skill and attention to detail. Created in 1918, this piece measures 24 x 36 cm and is currently housed at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in the United States.
William Henry Holmes was a renowned American artist, anthropologist, and geologist. His work spanned various fields, including art, science, and exploration. As an artist, he was known for his meticulous and detailed style, which is evident in In Mexico.
The painting depicts a serene mountainous landscape with a town nestled in the valley below. The scene features a large hillside covered in trees, with several houses scattered throughout the area. A person is visible near the bottom left of the painting, adding a sense of human presence to the otherwise natural scenery. The overall atmosphere of the piece conveys a sense of tranquility and harmony between nature and human habitation. Key Features of the painting include:
The use of watercolor and opaque watercolor to create a sense of depth and texture
The attention to detail in the depiction of the landscape and architecture
The sense of serenity and peacefulness that pervades the entire scene
In Mexico by William Henry Holmes is a captivating painting that showcases the artist's skill and attention to detail. For those interested in learning more about the artist and his work, visit /art/list/?Filter=AQTRSS-William-Henry-Holmes-In-Mexico to explore more of his paintings. Additionally, the Smithsonian American Art Museum website provides further information on the artist and his contributions to the world of art.
To discover more about other artists and their works, visit /en/art/show/art-aqtrss-en/ and explore the vast collection of handmade oil painting reproductions available on AllPaintingsStore.com.
Artist and museum
Born in Harrison County, United States of America
Born: Harrison County, United States of America (1846)
Died: 1933
William Henry Holmes was born on a farm near Cadiz, in Harrison County, Ohio, to Joseph and Mary Heberling Holmes on December 1, 1846.
He graduated from the McNeely Normal School, Hopedale, Ohio in 1870.
Briefly taught drawing, painting, natural history, and geology at the school.
Received an honorary A.B. (Bachelor of Arts) degree from the school in 1889.
Received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from The George Washington University in 1918.
In 1871, he went to Washington, D.C., to study art under Theodore Kaufmann.
Employed by the Smithsonian Institution drawing and sketching fossil shells and shells of live mollusks.
Became an artist/topographer with the government survey of Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden in 1872, replacing Thomas Moran.
First trip out West was to Yellowstone National Park.
Gained a national reputation as a scientific illustrator, cartographer, pioneering archaeologist, and geologist during the 1870s.
His work on the laccolith influenced Grove Karl Gilbert's own work.
Worked closely with photographer William H. Jackson.
Helped produce Hayden’s Geological and Geographical Atlas of Colorado (1877, 1881).
Studied at Munich, Germany under Frank Duveneck to further his art studies.
Took lessons in "museum making" from Adolphe B. Meyer of Dresden's Anthropology Museum.
Assigned to Clarence Dutton as a geologist and illustrator after returning to the U.S.
Illustrated the atlas for Dutton’s Tertiary History of the Grand Canyon District (1882).
Created a triptych panorama of the Grand Canyon from Point Sublime, considered a masterpiece.
Began studying Ancestral Pueblo culture remains in Utah in 1875.
His models of ancient Indian ruins were displayed at the Centennial International Exhibition in Philadelphia.
Became an expert in prehistoric pottery, shell art, textiles, and Native American arts.
Discovered and reported Indian petroglyphs in central West Virginia in 1889.
Published "Art in Shell of the American Indians" (1883) and "Pottery of the Ancient Pueblos" (1886).
Studied the Etowah Indian Mounds of the Mississippian culture in Georgia.
Published his synthesis of pottery in 1903.
Served as head curator of anthropology at the U.S. National Museum (1897-1932).
Chief of the Bureau of American Ethnology (1902–1909).
Director of National Gallery of Art (now Smithsonian American Art Museum) (1920–32).
Assembled exhibits of Indian arts from the Northwest Coast.
Published "Handbook of Aboriginal American Antiquities" (1919).
Lived in Royal Oak, Michigan upon retirement in 1932.
Died April 20, 1933.
Known for his contributions to scientific illustration, archaeology, and anthropology.
Influential figure in establishing professional archaeology in the United States.
His work on the antiquity of humans in the Americas had a conservative influence on archaeological research.
A "Renaissance Man" with diverse talents and interests.
His detailed illustrations significantly contributed to geological and anthropological understanding.
topimpressionists.com/en/art/download/william-henry-holmes-in-mexico-AQTRSS-en/
Look closely
In Mexico — William Henry Holmes
Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.
Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.
putty (#ccc0b2) is the leading color of "In Mexico" by William Henry Holmes.
A slideshow is available: the Diaporama page of "In Mexico" by William Henry Holmes.
"In Mexico" measures 24 x 36 cm in its original form. Original dimensions are a useful reference when choosing a reproduction size.