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SALT LAKE CITY — From "The Prayer at Valley Forge" to his portrait of Queen Elizabeth and his series of Book of Mormon paintings, Arnold Friberg's art is world famous. His sketches, which have never been exhibited before, are now on display.
Before the creation of his well-known painting of the Book of Mormon prophet Lehi and his family, Friberg first created a sketch. Even before that, he made another drawing.
Dozens of Friberg's original pencil drawings are now on exhibit for the first time.
The 12 Book of Mormon paintings, commissioned by Adele Cannon Howells — then Primary general president — were reproduced first for the Children's Friend magazine in the 1950s.
Anthony's Fine Arts and Antiques recently purchased 250 sketches from the Friberg estate. Art historian Micah Christensen provided a private tour of the 60 sketches now on display to the public.
"They may be the most reproduced works of art in Mormon culture because of their inclusion in the Book of Mormon reprinting that was published in the tens of millions," Christensen said.
The original paintings are exhibited in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City. Friberg passed away in 2010, but shared the challenges of putting scripture on canvas in 2001.
While Friberg was painting the Book of Mormon, Cecil B. DeMille, Hollywood's great director, invited him to Hollywood to paint scenes that inspired the costume designs for "The Ten Commandments."
Friberg first created a sweeping, majestic perspective. Then DeMille filmed it.
- When: Now through November 15th
- Where: Anthony's Fine Arts and Antiques, 401 E 200 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
- How much: Admission is free
"(Friberg) was from a tradition of art that was rigorous in its approach," Christensen said. "He studied first in Chicago and then his formative education was at the New York Central Academy. He studied there with Harvey Dunn, who was the teacher of Norman Rockwell."
The sketches are fascinating because they reveal the thought process of the artist — what he decided to leave in and take out of his paintings.
"That's the fun of looking at them," Christensen observed. "You see that he's almost gone page by page through the Book of Mormon and he's testing out concepts as he goes along."
Christensen said about 40 images never became paintings, and the one that intrigues people the most is Nephi and his wife — a perspective for the larger image of " Lehi and the Tree of Life." Friberg did several versions of the couple.
"She is not named in the scriptures, but in the Book of Mormon, she is there at several key moments," Christensen noted.
Others became one dynamic part of a much larger statement, as in the last painting in the Book of Mormon series titled, "Mormon Bids Farewell to A Once Great Nation."
"Here we have a very detailed sketch of a human figure. The figure here is this young soldier who is laying here dead after a final great battle between the Nephites and the Lamanites. It is a very symbolic work showing that he, as a painter, is borrowing from this tradition of allegorical painting rather than an illustration," said Christensen.
Friberg called himself an illustrator, but to Latter-day Saints, the British royal family, the Canadian Mounties, fans of "The Ten Commandments" and many Americans, he remains a noted artist with a rich and memorable legacy. With these sketches, we have a glimpse into his talent.
The Friberg sketches will remain on display and for sale at Anthony's Fine Arts and Antiques in downtown Salt Lake through Nov. 15.
Admission is free.
