Astley David Middleton Cooper (American. 1856-1924)

The Burning Arrow

Springfield, MA: Taber Prang Art Co., 1904

Chromolithograph in original oak frame, featuring carved pistol and knife in crossed formation with arrows, with stylized tacks flanking the sides

Image size: 19 3/8 x 26 1/2 in.

Frame size: 26 1/2 x 32 1/2 in.

Astley David Middleton Cooper (American, 1856-1924) noted painter & illustrator, was San Jose, California's most famous artist. Cooper is known for his depictions of Native American Indians that he lived with and learned from in his early twenties, as well as landscapes, portraits and also historical depictions.

The scene depicts a group of Sioux Indians signaling a far-off Indian camp of their movements with a flaming arrow during the time of the Great Sioux War of 1876-77 (AKA "The Black Hills War®) which involved the combined forces of the Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne and Arapahoe tribes.

The arrow is taken, dipped in fat and then after it has been lighted, it is shot ablaze into the air—with different directions having different meanings. The war's most famous battle was the «Battle of Little Big Horn" (known to the Lakota as the "Battle of the Greasy Grass") where the combined tribes fought and won a crushing victory over the 7th Calvary Regiment of the United States Army led by Gen. George A. Custer and his Battalion on from June 25-26, 1876 (commonly known as "Custer's Last Stand").

Cooper first exhibited his large painting of "Burning Arrow" (9' × 12) beginning on January 31, 1900 at the Exhibition Hall (2nd floor) of the Emporium and Golden Rule Bazaar in San Francisco and from their old advertisement in The San Francisco Call newspaper, Pg. 5, dated Wednesday, January 31, 1900, they stated: "The Burning Arrow"-a realistic painting of an episode of the Sioux-Custer war, by A.D.M. Cooper, a well-known painter of Indian pictures on free exhibition to-day and until further notice in Exhibition Hall, second floor. The canvas is 9x12 feet in size. Aside from its artistic merits, it will be of special interest to every boy and girl who is studying the history of this country.

In addition to its exhibition in California, Cooper's painting was exhibited concurrently at the Pan American Exposition in 1901, Buffalo, NY in June of that year with H.A. Meldrum Company's Free Art Gallery in Buffalo. The "Burning Arrow" painting at that time was in The Lincoln Collection, for Mr. Alonzo Lincoln who was an avid art collector and also a concessionaire at the Pan Am Expo.

Cooper originally used six live Native American Indian models for his painting "Burning Arrow"—Six of whom were prominent and well known Sioux Indians who participated at the Indian Congress at the southern most end of the Midway at the Pan Am Expo and are depicted in the painting (along with two background Sioux Indians), and they are listed as follows, starting at the top going clockwise. The Indian firing the arrow is Bull Head' (son of the famous Sitting Bull), standing with his back to the fire is Chief Hard Heart' noted Sioux warrior, on the ground sitting watching the arrow's flight is 'Sitting Bear', while Lone Wolf", Buffalo Head' and 'Standing Bear' are also depicted (two background Indians were unnamed).

The popularity of the painting led the Taber Prang Art Company of Springfield, Massachusetts to purchase the rights to reproduce the painting as prints. The Taber Prang Art Company (American Publishers, 1897-1938) out of Springfield, MA, were considered one of the best producers & publishers of art prints in the late 1800's on through the early part of the 20th Century. The company was formed in 1897 by the printer, lithographer and publisher Louis Prang (American, 1824-1909), of L. Prang & Co. (1860-1897, formerly Prang & Mayer 1856-1860), who merged with another company to form the Taber Prang Art Company, moving their business to Springfield, MA.