The Eanger Irving Couse House and Studio—Joseph Henry Sharp Studios, also known as the Couse/Sharp Historic Site, is a property on the U.S.

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

. It includes the home and art studio of E. Irving Couse (1866–1936) and two studio buildings owned by

Joseph Henry Sharp Joseph Henry Sharp (September 27, 1859 – August 29, 1953) was an American painter and a founding member of the Taos Society of Artists, of which he is considered the "Spiritual Father". Sharp was one of the earliest European-American artists t ...

(1859-1953), both founding members of the

Taos Society of Artists The Taos Society of Artists was an organization of visual arts founded in Taos, New Mexico. Established in 1915, it was disbanded in 1927. The Society was essentially a commercial cooperative, as opposed to a stylistic collective, and its foundation ...

. It was added to the NRHP on September 28, 2005.

History

E. Irving Couse, who studied art in New York and Paris, was introduced to Taos by fellow artist

Ernest Blumenschein Ernest Leonard Blumenschein (May 26, 1874 – June 6, 1960) was an American artist and founding member of the Taos Society of Artists. He is noted for paintings of Native Americans, New Mexico and the American Southwest. Early life and educat ...

in 1902. He became part of the Taos artist colony and bought the house on Kit Carson Road in 1909. A wing was added to the house for Couse's studio and his wife developed a noteworthy garden. Following E. Irving Couse's death in 1936, no more changes were made to the house and it remains much as it did when Couse lived there, which made it "the significant building to survive from the early days of the

Taos art colony The Taos art colony was an art colony founded in Taos, New Mexico, by artists attracted by the culture of the Taos Pueblo and northern New Mexico. The history of Hispanic craftsmanship in furniture, tin work, and other mediums also played a rol ...

."Historic Taos: A Self-Guided Walking Tour of 22 Historic Taos Landmarks.
Taos.org p. 26. Retrieved July 23, 2014. Prior to Couse's purchase of the house in 1910, it was owned by parish priest Gabriel Ussel in the 1860s; He operated a boys' school from the house. Prior to Ussel, the house was owned by James Quinn, who in the 1850s was a scott captain serving under

Kit Carson Christopher Houston Carson (December 24, 1809 – May 23, 1868) was an American frontiersman. He was a fur trapper, wilderness guide, Indian agent, and U.S. Army officer. He became a frontier legend in his own lifetime by biographies and n ...

. The house was originally built by Pedro Luna in 1839. Having spent some summers in

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...

and having grown to appreciated the area, in 1909

purchased a former Penitente chapel in Taos near the home of E. Irving Couse for use as a studio.Joseph Henry Sharp (1859-1953)
Taos Painters Website, n.d.Berman, Avis. "Art: Taos Landscapes. Pioneer Artists Depict the Grandeur of New Mexico," ''Architectural Digest'' March 1987: 158-163 He then built a two-story house with studio near the chapel and he and his wife Addie moved to Taos permanently in 1912. His historic studios in Taos are maintained as part of ''The Couse/Sharp Historic Site''. The site open to the public by appointment.

References

External links

* Adobe buildings and structures in New Mexico Artists' studios in the United States Biographical museums in New Mexico Buildings and structures in Taos, New Mexico Historic house museums in New Mexico Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in New Mexico Museums in Taos, New Mexico Houses in Taos County, New Mexico National Register of Historic Places in Taos County, New Mexico Pueblo Revival architecture in Taos, New Mexico {{NewMexico-museum-stub

History

See also

References

External links