Glacier County chief., 1939-06-16
LEIGH WESTERN
PAINTINGS SHOWN
LAST FIGHT" PROM
INENT IN DISPLAY BEING EX-
HIBITED IN NEW YORK
Author and Artist Familiar With West
Is Also an Authority on African
Hinterlands Which He Visited With
Two Explorers.

Two blunders which caused the
downfall of General Clusters heroic
little army at the hands of the
Sioux are said to be revealed in
a painting now on exhibition at
the Grand Central Gallery in New
York. "Custer's Last Fight" a
subject which has long been a
favorite among artists of the pio-
neer west, is a dynamic canvas
prominently displayed at the ex-
inson Leigh, noted artist and author
whose paintings of the west and of
Africa are featured by museums for
their historical value.
Leigh'S painting revealed that the
hopeleSsly outnumbered Custer contln-
gent attempted to hold off the attack
ing Sioux with single shot breech
loading rifles while the Indians were
equipped with repeating rifles.
The real error, according to Leigh,
who has spent many years in the west,
was Clusters mistrust of Jim Bridger.
an army scout long familiar with the
Sioux camps. Bridger had escaped
Custer that the Sioux numbered some
5000 warriors Custer doubted this re-
port, divided his army into three sec
lions and led the first of them to de-
struction against the Indians.
Indians Surprised, Too
According to Leigh, the Sioux war
riors didn't know that the Custer con-
tingent was in the vicinity. Plans for
the battle that followed were made
less than two hours before the firing
began: or,. 1os+ zza,,tv &c ono If the
10 western subjects included in the
Leigh exhibition which numbers %
paintings in all and represents his
first "one-man" show since 1928. AS
a member of the Carl Akeley expedi-
ton and also of the later Carlisle
ed voluminous material for the habitat
groups of the Akeley African hall in
New York's Museum of Natural His
tory. Leigh spent three years painting
the backgrounds in the African hall:
The west of Remington and Russell
lives more wildly than ever IN the
work of Leigh who more than 80 years
ago made his first visits to New Mex
leo and Arizona where he began his
studies of the Indians, cowboys and
the early west which he has so strong
ly recreated in his canvasses: His
Navajo Pony" a replica Of which Is
included in the present exhibition, was
he was still the prince of Wales and
heir to the British throne. Two others,
the stampede" and the "Hopi Boom
erang," are in the Huntington museum
and others of his works are IN the
Newark. N j.. museum, the Heckscher
foundation and in many private COL
lectionS.
Born in West Virginia
Leigh is a native of West Virginia
and was educated both in the United
states and abroad. Not content with
a prolific art career, he has written
several books, short stories and plays.
Clipped Wings" play, was published
in 1881 and two years later, In 1883,
he completed THE western Pony" il
Illustrated by himself. 1t was selected
by the American Institute of Graphic
Arts as one of the so best books OF
His latest book, Frontiers of En-
chantment," is an account OF his al
ventures in Africa with the Akeley
and the Carlisle-Clark expeditions and
has been acclaimed from coast to coast.
1t is already being published in Eng
land and a translation is being pre-
we'll 1t was during the second of
these visits to the dark continent"
that he was accompanied by his wife,
Ethel Traphagen, artist, writer and
lecturer on costume design and Illus
tration, and founder of the Traphagen
School Of Fashion in New York.
Easly visitors to New York's worlds
lection during its present exhibition
at the Grand Central Gallery's Fifth
avenue saloon. Later the pictures will
be moved to the Gallery's Vanderbilt
avenue headquarters.