Drawings by Eugene Francis Savage (1883-1978)
It was in January of 1936 that Eugene Savage exhibited for the very first time his paintings, sketches and drawings of life with the Seminoles appeared at Ferargil Art Gallery in New York City. The one page brochure read as follows:
AN EXHIBITION OF PAINTINGS
of the
SEMINOLE INDIAN COUNTRY
by EUGENE SAVAGE
"The woman was like a Byzantine Empress, the man like a
papal guards."
1. HERITAGE PRIMEVAL -- a Garden of Eden in the Florida Everglades, a Paradise of fish and game and bird life.
2. LAKES WITHOUT WATER -- white men drained their streams and lakes till the Seminoles traveled over dry pools filled with the dead.
3. HOLOCAUST -- then fire swept through their paradise.
4. BURNT PAVILION -- homes were charred relics.
5. GAUNT TAMARAC reared their trunks over the big cypress swamp.
6. BISCAYNE HOLIDAY.
7. SOUTH MOON UNDER.
8. ORCHID TRAIL -- fanciful women in gondalas.
9. ORCHID PAVILLION -- a Seminole home.
10. HOLLEWAGUS.
11. TOMIAMI RECOLLECTIONS.
12. THE HUNTER.
13. CONSUMATION -- the sacrifice.
14. MEEKANSEEKEE MOON
with a group of color studies and drawings
January 20th until February 9th, 1936
F E R A R G I L
63 East 57th Street, New York
Not all of the paintings have been found, but the drawings are here: