2025 Coeur d’Alene Art Auction / Lot 2020 / 354  •  View Catalog  •   • 

20
Don Oelze (b. 1965)
They Struck and Were Gone (2025)
oil on canvas
38 × 42 inches
51 × 55 × 4.5 inches (framed)
signed lower left

The artist writes, “Here I’ve set a moment for viewing: Apache scouts riding with the U.S. Army, hot on the trail of a lightning raid – one of those fast, brutal strikes like the ones led by Nana or Josanie (Ulzana) through the deserts of Arizona and New Mexico. They’ve just come upon the wreckage of a stagecoach, splintered and scorched, the ground still holding the chaos of what must have been a sudden, violent attack.

“Raids like this on stage lines were rare, but they did happen. I try to stay true to the history, but I can’t help weaving in a bit of Western romance and drama – the quiet tension in the air, the mystery left in the wake of raiders long gone, and the silent skill of the scouts reading signs the rest of us would miss. It’s that space between truth and legend that I find most compelling.”

20

Don Oelze

b. 1965

They Struck and Were Gone (2025)
oil on canvas
38 × 42 inches
51 × 55 × 4.5 inches (framed)
signed lower left
$20,000 – 30,000
Condition ReportSurface is in excellent condition. No signs of restoration.

Important Notice: Statements of condition are provided as a service to potential bidders; such statements are educated opinions and should not be regarded as facts. The Coeur d’Alene Art Auction has no responsibility for any errors or omissions.