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• E. Martin Hennings(American, 1886-1956)
• After 1921
• Oil paint on canvas
• The Roath Collection, 2013.102

Earnest Martin Hennings studied European art styles in Germany but created works with uniquely American subjects. “Passing Indians” is a subject Hennings frequently depicted. This painting shows Indigenous men on horseback amid a southwestern landscape. Hennings effectively depicted the wide-open spaces in the Southwest and the unique atmosphere of New Mexico. Southwest landscapes appealed to the masses living in the Eastern United States. During the period of westward expansion, they often saw paintings like this in numerous traveling exhibitions and railroad company buildings. These paintings were reproduced on tickets and other promotional material to encourage travel to the Southwest.