{"product_id":"john-hafen-vern-grosvenor-swanson-9781423665625","title":"John Hafen: Utah's Poet Painter","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA meticulously researched, comprehensive biography showcasing the work of Utah artist John Hafen, including over 200 images of the artist's work, along with 50+ photos and historical clippings.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn his short life as an artist, John Hafen (1856-1910) earned the title of Utah's \"poet painter.\" He was a Latter-day Saint artist in a philosophical and evangelical sense, although he was not a painter of Christian genre, themes, or content. Rather, he searched for the universal and eternal beauty underlying the mountains and rural nature. While he vigorously eschewed commercialism in art, because of dire poverty and a large family (10 children) he was continually \"forced\" to paint quick pictures for the trade just to get by from day to day. But taken all together, he was still the clearest voice of the aesthetic conscience of Utah fine art in his day. His \u003ci\u003ecapo d'opera\u003c\/i\u003e was the equal of the best Utah artists and fared well nationally. His contributions to Utah art were profound and long-lasting. He was the instigator of the Paris art mission and the lead painter of the murals in the Salt Lake Temple. He began the art department at Brigham Young Academy (now BYU), founded the Springville Museum of Art, and cofounded the Utah Art Institute. Because of the lyrical nature of his landscapes and the poignancy of his short life and career, John Hafen is remembered as Utah's \"poet painter.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Vern Grosvenor Swanson, Angela Swanson Jones\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1423665627\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781423665625\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Gibbs Smith\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 10\/14\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 296\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.06lbs","brand":"Vern Grosvenor Swanson","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":46962599395583,"sku":"9781423665625","price":75.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_193256e4-a8a8-4edb-a1f5-7edcb68bdd7a.jpg?v=1750651948","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/john-hafen-vern-grosvenor-swanson-9781423665625","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}