Minerva Teichert

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Minerva Bernetta Kohlhepp Teichert (August 28, 1888 – 1976) was an American painter notable for her art depicting Western and Mormon subjects, including a collection of murals depicting scenes from the Book of Mormon.

[edit] Biography

Teichert was born in Ogden, Utah and grew up on a ranch in Idaho as the second of nine children. She became the first woman to be sent by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on an artistic mission - first to study at the Art Institute of Chicago under John Vanderpoel, and then at the Art Students League of New York under Robert Henri. She married Herman Teichert and raised five children on a ranch in Cokeville, Wyoming; all the while she painted the things she knew and loved best: scenes from western Americana, and religious artwork expressing her deeply held convictions. She once explained "I must paint", when asked about how she persisted in painting despite being in near-complete artistic isolation, without a dedicated studio or even much free time to create. Teichert was an independent, opinionated woman who stood up for Women's Rights and was an outspoken political conservative. Teichert died in Provo, Utah in 1976.

Christ in a Red Robe

[edit] Works

Women and western themes feature prominently in Teichert's works, such as The Madonna of 1847, which depicts a mother and child in a covered wagon, crossing the plains to settle in Utah. Teichert is known for a set of 42 murals from the Book of Mormon, as well as her murals inside the Manti Utah Temple. Teichert's distinctive style can be seen in the painting Christ in a Red Robe, in which women can be seen reaching out to Christ, who is depicted in a red robe at his second coming, referencing Isaiah 63:2. The colors are mostly subdued, except for the central figure who is brightly illustrated.

[edit] References

Pinborough, Jan Underwood, “Minerva Kohlhepp Teichert: With a Bold Brush,” Ensign, Apr. 1989, 34.
Welch, John W. and Dant, Doris R., "The Book of Mormon Paintings of Minerva Teichert," Bookcraft, 1997, 168 pages, ISBN 1-57008-378-9.