Rebecca Salsbury James, an artist who mastered reverse painting on glass and colcha embroidery, is gaining renewed attention. Born in 1891 in London to parents involved in the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show, she later moved to Taos, New Mexico, where she lived until her death in 1968. She was married to photographer Paul Strand, a close friend of Georgia O'Keeffe, and exhibited at Alfred Stieglitz's gallery. Recent milestones include her inclusion in the 2025 Site Santa Fe International, a new acquisition by the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, and a record auction price for her work at Christie's in 2016.
This reappraisal matters because Salsbury James represents a significant but long-overlooked figure in early 20th-century American modernism, particularly as a female artist working in the American West. Her rising market prices and institutional recognition signal a broader correction in art history, bringing attention to artists who were marginalized despite their connections to major figures like O'Keeffe and Stieglitz. The article underscores how curators and collectors are now rediscovering her unique technical achievements and personal narrative.