Quanah in 1890 (drawing)
Like Henry Wellge’s drawing of Honey Grove, this drawing by Fowler of Quanah is very rare. Once completed, such drawings were then sent to a lithography studio, where artists translated them into multiple lithographic prints. In most cases, the one-of-a-kind sketches then disappeared. Along with its derivative lithograph, this drawing has added historical importance because Quanah was struck by both flood and fire the year after Fowler finished his drawing, destroying much of the town he depicted.
This drawing provides an unusual opportunity to compare the work of the traveling artist with the work of the lithographer. The most apparent change is the omission of the cartouche in the title, which in the drawing includes a handsome portrait of an Indian intended to represent Comanche Chief Quanah Parker. The vertical and horizontal angles of the drawing also differ modestly from the print, and the edges and bottom have been cropped.