User:Cwade70/Dick Brewer, Billy the Kid and the Regulators

Dick Brewer, Billy the Kid and the Regulators is a painting by artist Andrew "Andy" Thomas depicting the regulators in the hunting down of William Morton and Frank Baker for the murder of businessman John Tunstall. This painting was sold at the Midwest Gathering of Artists in Carthage, MO on September 11, 2010 (carthagepress.com)

Background
The event depicted in this painting by Andrew Thomas occurred during the Lincoln County War (this version). Brewer, Billy the Kid, and the other regulators were given warrants for the murderers of Tunstall, which included William Morton. After a 5 mile gun chase, Morton surrendered on the condition that he and Baker would not be killed. On the Third day on the trip back to Lincoln however, Morton and Baker ended up dead. The regulators said that the prisoners had tried to escape, but the Dolan forces believed that the Regulators had actually murdered Baker and Morton, but the only witnesses were the potential murderers themselves. (Utley 56-58)

Aesthetics
Thomas places Brewer and Billy in the front of the painting while the other regulators are hardly visible in the left corner of this painting to show the importance of each of the regulators to the public. Billy the Kid is shown firing his pistol in the painting, possibly to show Billy's determination to avenge Tunstall's murder (Utley 52). Thomas also fades the legs of Billy's white horse to add to the illusion that the painting is a real chase.