Victor Higgins (1884-1949)
Winter Funeral
oil, 1931-1932
Gift of the Artist
Photo courtesy Harwood Museum of Art

Winter Funeral is one example of many flagship works from the Taos Society of Artists that will be exhibited during the summer of 2010. The work featured in the Brandenburg Gallery will be selected based on the Founders artistic intepretations of Sacred Places. Long considered the masterwork of the museum collection, Winter Funeral was originally hung above this fireplace by the artist.  Higgins' mother died during the autumn before this picture was painted, setting the dark mood. It may also be the depiction of an actual event, the burial of a boy killed in an automobile accident. Taos Mountain dwarfs the people gathered for the service. Storm clouds smother the mountain - nature is ascendant in this environment.  At the same time, ice is melting on the creek and a break in oppressive clouds foretells their coming end.