Survivor by Ragan Gennusa
Western-Longhorn Art
“Survivor” Cattle originally from Spain and Portugal were introduced into Mexico in 1521. Stocked at the Presidios in northern Mexico and southern Texas by the Mexican government, these cattle ran wild in northern Mexico and the south Texas brush country between the Rio Grande and the Nueces River and north and east to the Louisiana border, after the constant Comanche Indian raids forced their abandonment. Only the strong survived predation, drought, disease and the dreaded fever tick. For two to three CENTURIES these incredible wild cattle existed in a closed gene pool emerging as a unique breed, the Texas Longhorn. The painting “Survivor” depicts a longhorn cow exhibiting not only the traits mentioned above, but who also was extremely fertile calving without problems until well in their teens, enabling this breed to multiply into the millions. It is estimated that between 1866 and 1890 ten million cattle were driven to northern markets, not only pulling the State of Texas out of bankruptcy, but creating wealthy cattle barons and establishing Texas as a rich state.
- Limited Edition Fine Art Canvas or Art Paper Giclees
- Museum Quality Canvas Giclee printed with archival inks
- Archival 300gsm Watercolor Cold Press Textured Fine Art Paper
- Each giclee print is signed and numbered and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.
- Delivered rolled in tube
- Canvas Stretching available upon request
All images available at American Art Publishing are authentic fine art reproductions made using the giclee process. Each image is authorized by the artist. They are true to the original in every detail. The color is meticulously matched to the original painting and printed one at a time using only the finest museum grade archival inks on fine art watercolor papers or canvas. Canvas is coated with a protective clear giclee veneer coating for added protection from abrasion, light and airborne contaminates. Our giclees will provide years of viewing pleasure.
About the artist: Ragan Gennusa - Western, Longhorn and Wildlife Art.
Ragan was born in Rosebud , Texas in 1944 and grew up in Port Arthur, Texas. As a young boy, he loved the outdoors, athletics and art, and at an early age, Ragan knew that he wanted more than anything to be an artist.
Ragan was All-state in track and an All-state quarterback for Port Arthur High School and attended the University of Texas on a football scholarship where he studied art. Ragan credits his training as an athlete for teaching him the value of courage, tenacity, and discipline, and the importance of character in pursuit of life as well as an artistic career. He graduated from U.T. with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1968.
In 1985, Ragan was honored by the State Legislature’s selecting him the 1985-86 Texas State Artist. In 2005, he was a recipient of the Stars of Texas Award from the Gillespie County Historical Society, and in 2006 he received the John Ben Sheppard Jr. Award from the Texas Historical Foundation for his outstanding achievement in historic preservation. He won the Briscoe Museum Purchase Award in 2016 and the Briscoe Museum Patron’s Choice Award in 2017.
His paintings hang in private and corporate collections nationwide, including, The Briscoe Western Art Museum, New York Life Insurance Company in New York City, and national office of The Texas Longhorn Breeders Association of America in Ft. Worth. Several of his longhorn paintings are prominently displayed in the University of Texas Alumni Center and he has done longhorn paintings symbolizing the University of Texas football program.
Ragan is well known for his Texas Longhorn paintings and has owned longhorn cattle since 1984. Because of their historical contribution, especially to the state of Texas, Ragan has chosen to honor this incredible animal in much of his work. Today, Ragan resides in the hill country outside of Dripping Springs, Texas in a house he built, and paints mainly by commission in a studio filled with a sense of the West.
Ragan passed away on August 13, 2021 in San Antonio, Texas at the age of 76.
