A narrative artist of the American West, Charles Deas (1818-1867) reached a height of recognition in the mid-1840s, and then he descended into insanity, and his remaining years were lost. This short career has meant subsequent obscurity, but a 2010 exhibition at the Denver Museum of Art and this catalog are intended to bring his work to wider recognition. Carol Clark (art history and American studies, Amherst College) provides a biographical essay and another on telling tales in 1840s America. Supported with full-page reproductions, three other essays discuss historical context and some particular works. The catalog is fully annotated and illustrated with small plates. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)