Howard Terpning (American, b. 1927) Thunder Speaks

Updated September 18, 2026

This auction ended on October 4, 2026. See upcoming auctions from Oakwood Auctions.

Lot number	445
Estimate	175.00 - 250.00 USD
Auction	October Art & Collectibles- 2-DAY Auction
Date	October 4, 2026 at 11:00 PM EDT
Auction house	Oakwood Auctions
Location	Stouffville

Howard Terpning (American, b. 1927), Thunder Speaks, 2002. Signed and numbered limited edition giclée on fine art paper, 255/425, published by The Greenwich Workshop. A powerful and highly atmospheric example of Terpning's celebrated Native American and Western imagery, depicting a mounted group crossing the open plains beneath a monumental bank of approaching storm clouds. The image measures 22 1/2 x 35 1/2 in., consistent with published specifications for this edition of 425. The composition captures the narrative drama for which Howard Terpning became one of the best-known painters of the contemporary American West. Riders and horses emerge across the sunlit grassland as the sky above them transforms into a vast, turbulent mass of blue-grey and luminous white cloud. The foremost mounted figure raises an arm toward the heavens, establishing a striking visual and emotional connection between the human figures and the gathering storm. Rather than functioning simply as landscape, the enormous sky becomes an active presence in the composition, giving Thunder Speaks an unusually commanding sense of scale, movement and anticipation. The subject originated in Terpning's observations during a research journey on horseback across the rolling plains of Montana, where the artist encountered a rapidly developing storm whose advancing clouds and thunder informed the conception of the work. This grounding in first-hand landscape observation is particularly characteristic of Terpning's approach, combining carefully considered historical imagery with a strong sense of place and narrative atmosphere. Issued by The Greenwich Workshop in 2002 as a limited edition of only 425 signed and numbered impressions, Thunder Speaks has become an established image within Terpning's graphic oeuvre. Auction records confirm other examples as signed and editioned giclées on paper, while current specialist listings likewise identify the work as a signed 425-copy paper giclée. The relatively modest edition size, substantial 35 1/2-inch image width, dramatic equestrian subject matter and unmistakable Plains setting make the work especially appealing to collectors of Howard Terpning, Native American art, Western Americana, Cowboy Artists of America-associated artists, equestrian imagery and contemporary Western fine art. This example is beautifully presented beneath glass in an elaborate custom frame with broad suede matting and complementary layered inner borders, creating a sophisticated gallery-ready presentation that gives the expansive horizontal composition appropriate visual presence. Signed and numbered 255/425. Image: 22 1/2 x 35 1/2 in. Documented framed dimensions for this exact impression: approximately 34 x 46 1/4 in. Condition appears excellent, with strong color and no visible defects; not examined outside the frame. The image combines several of the most desirable elements associated with Terpning's work - Native American subject m

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