The 225 works collected here are from the Museum of Fine Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and they tell the story of that state's art, including discussion of aesthetic movements and of the combination of Native American, Hispanic, and European cultural traditions that have intermeshed there since the arrival of the railroad in 1879. Essays explore such topics as the formation of artist communities, the creation of a modernist destination, the role of art in reviving culture by rejecting cheap tourism, art during the Great Depression and during the Cold War, and the role of art in reconceptualizing the contemporary Southwest, among other topics. The book is oversize: 9.75x11.75". Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)