"Of what use is art if it cannot clothe an idea in pictures that speak from within as
the heart speaks through a smile or a tear."
— William T. Trego, 1891
The one hundred and seventy-nine paintings, drawings, sketches, sculptures, and photographs documented in this catalogue would be a fine legacy for any artist active in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. That William T. Trego had to overcome severe physical challenges to pursue his career makes the quality and range of his art all the more remarkable. In tribute to this long-neglected American history painter, the Michener Museum is proud to present this catalogue raisonné of his work. The museum is also pleased to make available the first-ever in-depth biography of Trego, So Bravely and So Well: The Life and Art of William T. Trego. The book accompanied the 2011 major exhibition of Trego's work in the museum's galleries.
It is often the fate of a catalogue raisonné that it is rendered obsolete by the late discovery of works previously thought to be lost. Therefore, we have published this catalogue online as a permanent extension of the Michener website, with the hope of reaching the widest possible audience and allowing us the flexibility of making adjustments. There are still dozens of William Trego's works as yet unlocated. We encourage anyone who owns an example of Trego's art or who knows of possible locations of his works, to contact us. The guest curator of the William T. Trego Project can be reached at [email protected].
Using the catalogue
This
catalogue can be searched by keyword or title in the search line
provided at the upper right. General searches by genre, medium,
subject, or year, can also be made using the search menus provided.
Results will appear as thumbnails, which can be clicked on for
details and a larger version of the image. Where images are not
available, you will still be able to access a page of information. In
addition, the table of contents at the left allows you to explore
specific areas of Trego's creative life and artistic output. These
pages are linked to the art data base as well.
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