Seth Eastman (1808 – 1875) Sunset on the Texas Coastal Plains, circa 1849-1850

The finest pre Civil War painting of Texas that exists by its most distinguished, accomplished artist.

Seth Eastman (1808 – 1875)
Sunset on the Texas Coastal Plains, circa 1849-1850
signed Seth Eastman, lower right
oil on canvas
24 x 36 inches
PROVENANCE
[Tepper Galleries, New York, 1976]
Private collection, New York, acquired directly from the above

In Sunset on the Texas Coastal Plains, Seth Eastman captures the untouched beauty of the vast Texas landscape. Painted during his first visit to Texas, the scene depicts a glowing sunset over the coastal grasslands, featuring native bluestem grass, inland marshes, and sycamore trees. The painting evokes the sense of an untouched frontier, highlighting the contrast between Eastman’s experience of the east and the unique landscape of Texas.

Unlike his well-known depictions of Native American life, Eastman focuses here on a new and unfamiliar environment, painting the coastal plains in their pristine state—before ranching and development altered the landscape forever. The subtle figures in the painting are more likely Tejanos than Native Americans, reflecting the cultural diversity present at the time.

This work is one of the few known oil paintings by Eastman depicting Texas, offering a rare glimpse of this frontier landscape in its original form, untouched by the changes of westward expansion.

Please click here to download Ron Tyler's full description of this important painting.