Astley David Middleton Cooper was quite a character and quite a painter. Living during the time of the "Wild West," he experienced first hand what was happening to the Native Americans, the Buffalo, and the pristine beauty of America's frontier. And regardless of what art or social critics may say of his life, he left behind a historical record of people, places and a time where social consciousness was not the norm. 

We began collecting Cooper's work a number of years ago. Our first painting, The Flaming Arrow, was painted in 1900.

We have learned that Cooper's work ranges from simple paintings, most likely painted for use in decorating homes, to true masterpieces worthy of museums.

Our opinion is that Cooper purposely painted a range of quality in his works. He painted landscapes for home decoration, which he sold out of his studio in downtown San Jose, California from 1885 until his death in 1924.

He painted Native Americans, Buffalo and accurate "location" landscapes as a professional painter who was attempting to document both the beauty and plight of the West in the late 1800s. These are among his finest works. In addition, Cooper was well known throughout the country and commissioned to do a variety of paintings for specific themes or topics. You will see many examples of these in our collection. He was a versitile painter, a free spirit, and simply did what he wanted to do.

Additional history is available at the History & Background Link.