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Henry Lavendar Adolphus Culmer' (sometimes referred to as Harry Culmer or Henry L. A. Culmer) was a painter/scientist, illustrator, and educator. He was born in Darington, Kent England on March 25, 1854. During his younger days in England, he worked as an errand boy in a print shop in London. His family joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and in 1868, immigrated to the United States.
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Education
Although Culmer was mostly a self-taught artist, he attended the University of Utah (previously known as University of Deseret) in the 1870s and studied with landscape painters Reuben Kirkham and Alfred Lambourne. During this same time, he also met and was influenced by Thomas Moran.
Career
Culmer painted landscapes and was best known for his panoramic views of the mountains and deserts. He was the first artist to explore and depict the natural bridges in southern Utah as well as the interior of Alaska. He also painted Monument Valley, the Grand Canyon, the coast of Monterey, and mountain ranges including the Tetons and Wasatch. Culmer believed that mountains were “the most noble subject for an artists' brush." With his love of science and intense self-study, Culmer had a deep knowledge of and admiration for nature that was noticeable in his paintings. He was especially skilled at depicting topographical details and rock formations.
Culmer's works appear in the collections of the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, the Utah State Capitol Building, the Utah Historical Society, and the.