Bluebonnet Scene 

Robert Julian Onderdonk painted this Texas landscape, likely in the early 20th century. Its subject, a field of bluebonnets, is enmeshed in the cultural history of Texas and is charged with symbolism. Onderdonk was a Texas native who trained in New York, but returned to his home state. His paintings of bluebonnets helped to solidify the flower as a symbol of Texas identity, which has become associated with a romantic vision of the Texas landscape. The bluebonnet itself is deeply embedded in local lore. Its name came to be associated with the bonnets worn by pioneer women, and it has become a powerful symbol of regional pride. Yet we might ask: whose pride? Images of nature can be used to celebrate national identity, but also to mask histories of conflict. As historians, it is our task to investigate these cultural and institutional processes. What were the social forces that elevated this flower to its iconic status? Looking more deeply into the history of this image, and of the artist, can lead to a more profound understanding of its cultural work.