Joseph Henry Sharp

Born in Bridgeport, Ohio, Joseph Sharp was regarded as the “father of the Taos Art Colony,” and was known for his Indian figure and genre painting as well as for exquisitely colorful landscapes.

He was one of the first Caucasian artists to visit New Mexico, arriving in Santa Fe in 1883.  He was also a visitor to Alaska, being one of the early artists who visited there after the purchase of the Territory.  Although Sharp was completely deaf from a childhood accident, he reportedly had a cheerful nature and was an avid traveler, always seeking learning experiences about other cultures.