Olaf Carl Wieghorst (1899-1988) was born in Viborg, Denmark, and is known for his Western genre, Indian, cowboy, and horse paintings.

 

During his career, Wieghorst learned to master oil painting and watercolor painting, as well as numerous other art mediums.

 

After three years of service with the Fifth Cavalry along the Mexican border, Wieghorst was mustered out of the military in 1922, and pursued the life of a cowboy, during which he wandered extensively throughout the Southwest, sketching whenever he could.

 

In 1924, Wieghorst joined the New York City Police Department where he became a Mounted Police Officer with the Department.

 

Due to his knowledge of horses, he was quickly sent to the Remount Section of the Mounted Unit where he broke and trained horses for the Unit.

 

Olaf’s drawing and etchings have been displayed at the Madison Square Garden Rodeo and in the Rodeo’s Official Magazine.

 

From 1938 to 1953, Olaf’s art was also featured on the covers of a Rodeo magazine published in Tucson Arizona titled “Hoofs and Horns.”

 

After retiring and moving to El Cajon Olaf settled down to paint, steadily gaining recognition for his classic cowboy and Indian subjects and became a master painter of the western scene.

 

Wherever he went, he sketched and painted the Western culture he loved.

 

Olaf was honored at the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City on November 15, 1974 for his contribution to Western Art.

 

More of Olaf Wieghorst‘s remarkable Western Art can be found at https://www.wieghorst.com.