Lon Megargee was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1883. Around 1896, he made his way westward into the Arizona Territory changing the spelling of his last name to “Megargee” and his life story moving forward. Megargee became one of the first cowboy artists. He studied art at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and later at the Los Angeles School of Art and Design.
Although he was successful as an artist, Megargee's wild cowboy lifestyle usually led him to financial crisis. His success in art was often accompanied with bankruptcy and pleas to friends and supporters for more money. He was described as an "incurable romantic" and was married at least seven times. Despite personal challenges and instability, Lon Megargee remained a successful painter throughout his life. He is known for creating the iconic Stetson logo and A-1 beer posters, and for his collection of paintings commissioned by the State of Arizona.
Lon Megargee always felt that Arizona was his true home; near the end of his life, he claimed Tombstone as his birthplace. George W. P. Hunt, the first Governor of the State of Arizona, and Megargee's close friend eventually described Megargee as "a native Arizonan who has passed his life in the deserts and mountains of our state." Megargee's strong connection with Arizona is revealed through his paintings of the strength and wildness of Arizona.
About the Collections
Arizona State Capitol Paintings, 1913-1914 Arizona became the 48th state on February 14th, 1912. Megargee was commissioned by the state to paint fifteen large canvases which were installed in the State Capitol building. These paintings portray early Arizona, encompassing landscapes, natural wonders, the customs of Native Americans, historic buildings, and the life of early settlers. The "Five Cs" of Arizona's economy (cattle, citrus, Arizona became the 48th state on February 14th, 1912. Megargee was commissioned by the state to paint fifteen large canvases which were installed in the State Capitol building. These paintings portray early Arizona, encompassing landscapes, natural wonders, the customs of Native Americans, historic buildings, and the life of early settlers. The "Five Cs" of Arizona's economy (cattle, citrus,
Art in the Great Depression, 1934 The Public Works of Art Project commissioned Megargee to produce three large paintings for the State Capitol. Each painting is of a single figure: The Indian, The Farmer, and Father Kino. These three paintings feature striking colors and inspirational historic figures.
A-1 Beer Paintings for the Arizona Brewing Company, 1948-1951 In the 1940's, major breweries across the county began partnering with artists to produce advertisements. The Arizona Brewing Company partnered with Megargee beginning in 1948 to create iconic images for A-1 beer. These paintings were sometimes humorous, such as the wild female rancher portrayed in The Dude, the barber shaving an outlaw in Black Bart and the singing barbers in The Quartet. Cowboy's Dream is the most romantic and well-known of the A-1 paintings; over 20,000 prints were made, and Megargee repainted it several times throughout his life. Margarita, which shows a woman smoking a cigarette with a beer in front of her, was never reproduced.
Personal correspondence Some of Megargee's personal correspondence is included in this collection.
LanguageEnglishPermissions and ReuseCopyright and/or publication rights for all images in this collection are retained by this institution. Contact the Arizona Capitol Museum at (602) 926-3620 for further information.
