Hernando G. Villa Collection, 1894-1972

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Summary

Creators:
Villa, Hernando Gonzalo
Abstract:
Hernando Gonzalo Villa (1881-1952) was a prominent commercial artist and muralist whose work primarily depicted Native Americans, Mexican vaqueros, California missions, Spanish colonialists, and coastal views. This collection consists of the a sketch book, personal papers, ephemera, photographs, and publications related to Hernando Villa, his artwork, and his family. The material in this collection was created from 1894 to 1972.
Extent:
1.5 Linear Feet (1 document box, 1 oversized portfolio box)
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

Hernando G. Villa Collection, 1894-1972, Braun Research Library Collection, Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles; MS.565; [folder number] [folder title][date].

Background

Scope and content:

This collection consists of the a sketchbook, personal papers, ephemera, and photographs. Also included is the short story "Star of Taos and Juan," a Sotheby Parke Bernet catalog, and an illustrated price list of paintings by Villa.

Biographical / historical:

Hernando Gonzalo Villa (1881-1952) was a prominent commercial artist and muralist whose work primarily depicted Native Americans, Mexican vaqueros, California missions, Spanish colonialists, and coastal views.

Villa was born in Los Angeles, California to Esiquia Asevedo and Miguel Villa. His parents came to Los Angeles as children from Baja California in 1846 when the area was still part of Mexico. Villa was the youngest of 5 children and was born in an adobe at what is now the corner of 6th and Spring streets in downtown Los Angeles. Villa graduated from the Los Angeles School of Art and Design in 1905.

Villa established himself as a commercial artist in Los Angeles, illustrating magazines including the Pasadena Daily News, The West Coast Magazine, and Town Talk, as well as a variety of artwork ranging from sheet music covers to newspaper advertisements, and a poster for the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago.

Villa created the bookplate for Joseph Amasa Munk's Library of Arizoniana at the request of Charles F. Lummis who notes this is in his personal journal on 1910 February 7. Villa also created advertising art for the Southern Pacific Railroad, the Los Angeles Limited, and the Santa Fe Railway. He enjoyed a forty year relationship with the Santa Fe for which he created some of his best known images including the Santa Fe Chief emblem.

In addition to commercial print work, Villa also executed easel paintings throughout his career which he showed primarily in California. He worked in oil, watercolor, pastel, and charcoal. Villa was also a celebrated muralist who created murals for Tally's New Broadway Theater in Los Angeles in 1916, the New Rialto Theater in Phoenix, Arizona in 1921, and Citizen Bank in Los Angeles in 1926. Villa won a gold medal for a mural exhibited at the Panama-Pacific International Exhibition in 1915.

Reference:

Cook, A. M. Los Angeles Times, undated.

Processing information:

Biographical note created by Maritxu de Alaiza, 2012 April 5. Processing and finding aid completed by Anna Liza Posas, 2013. Publication of finding aid made possible by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).

Arrangement:

This collection is physically arranged by size but has been arranged into the following series intellectually:

  • Series 1: Artwork, circa 1903-1930
  • Series 2: Newspaper clippings, 1912-1945
  • Series 3: Personal papers and manuscripts, 1894-1972
  • Series 4: Photographs, circa 1900 - 1950

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Appointments to view materials are required. To make an appointment please visit https://theautry.org/research-collections/library-and-archives and fill out the Researcher Application Form.

Terms of access:

Copyright has not been assigned to the Autry Museum of the American West. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Research Services and Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Autry Museum of the American West as the custodian of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.

Preferred citation:

Hernando G. Villa Collection, 1894-1972, Braun Research Library Collection, Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles; MS.565; [folder number] [folder title][date].

Location of this collection:
4700 Western Heritage Way
Los Angeles, CA 90027, US
Contact:
(747) 201-8448
rroom@theautry.org
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