Artwork of the Week: June 16
Pausing while his horses partake in a short refreshment, this cart-driver glances along the street, seemingly oblivious to the equestrian monument towering above him.
In this playful sketch, Mahonri Young pokes fun at the supposed grandeur of public monuments. Despite resting in its shadow, this lofty tribute fails to capture the attention of the teamster. Perhaps he has passed by this spot so often that the sense of spectacle has faded, or maybe the monument is simply not as useful as the water basins at its base. Young’s title furthers this sense of dismissal, referring not to the statue, but to the “horse trough.”
This drawing was part of Mahonri Young’s collection of over 12,000 artworks that were donated to Brigham Young University in 1959. This remarkable gift forms the backbone of the Museum of Art’s permanent collection, making us the single largest repository of Young’s work. Renowned as a painter and sculptor, Young received significant praise for his drawings, which record an impressive array of subjects, some serious and some playful. The Museum’s collection of Mahonri Young drawings is encyclopedic, with over 5,000 examples, and offers a unique opportunity to explore the wealth of themes and subjects that interested the artist.
Brigham Young University Museum of Art, purchase/gift of Mahonri M. Young Estate, 1959.
