A Life in Ink and Paint
Herndon Davis was an American painter, journalist, illustrator, and artist. Born in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, he moved to Kansas City, Missouri, at age fourteen to pursue art lessons, supporting himself through various unskilled jobs. His journey took him to Chicago, where he worked as an apprentice to an engraver and as a commercial artist, and later to Yale. After serving in the army and working on maps of China and Japan at the National War College in Washington, D.C., he moved to New York to attend the National Academy of Design and Art Students League of New York.
His professional career was diverse, spanning roles as an illustrator for newspapers in New York, Washington, D.C., and Denver. In 1936, he moved to Denver, where he worked for The Denver Post and the Rocky Mountain News. His artistic commissions included murals, such as a scene of Denver newspaper staff in the Denver Press Club card room and a mural for the La Caverna Hotel in Eddy County, New Mexico.
Capturing the Spirit of the West
Davis became known for capturing notable people and landmarks of Denver and the American West. His portraits included figures such as Governor Ralph Lawrence Carr, actress Katharine Hepburn, Mother Cabrini, and Emily Griffith. He also painted the farmhouse of Dr. Frederick J. Bancroft and a portrait of Josiah Gregg. His work often documented the evolution of urban landscapes, capturing buildings like the Tabor Grand Opera House, the Navarre building, and the Charpiot's Hotel as they transitioned through different eras.
One of his most famous works, The Face on the Barroom Floor, was painted at the Teller House in Central City. This piece, which depicts his wife, was inspired by the poem The Face upon the Barroom Floor by Hugh Antoine d'Arcy. His subjects were varied, ranging from the notorious Ella "Cattle Kate" Watson to the elegant mansions of William Byers and Ed Chase. He also created wash drawings of the House of Mirrors brothel and painted various santos.
