Branding Iron c. 1942

"Branding Iron" is a watercolor painting by Elizabeth Johnson, created in 1942. The painting depicts a branding iron, a tool used to mark livestock with a unique symbol, along with a drawing of the mark it would produce. Johnson's realistic style and precise detail capture the worn texture of the iron and its potential for both practical use and symbolic representation. This artwork provides a glimpse into the history of ranching and the importance of branding in the American West.