Gerhard Ernest Untermann, Sr. was born November 6th, 1864 near Berlin, in Brandenburg, Germany .He was a seaman, adventurer, writer, translator, politician, artist, geologist and fossil hunter. As a young man he went to sea and sailed in the days of “Wooden ships and Iron Men“. He sailed from Germany and Europe to Africa, South America and on to North America in wooden clipper ships. Twice he was ship wrecked. He reached land the second time after drifting alone in an open boat for 21 days.

He began painting at sea. Life at sea and short stops in the great ports of the world may seem an unusual way to educate a budding painter, but it was actually a very effective way to teach observant eyes to see colors in the process of atmospheric movement and to appreciate the differences of sky, sea and landscape. In Ernest Untermann's own words from his Autobiographical Sketch, he says, “Ten years of seafaring enabled me to acquire by self-study a more thorough knowledge of zoology, paleontology, paleobotany, comparative anatomy, biology, and geology than the conventional university coarse can supply. Those worldwide trips also gave me access to the important art galleries and natural history museums of the world“. He later studied at the Chicago Institute of Art and the Layton School of Art in Milwaukee .

Ernest Untermann settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but because of his spirit of adventure and love of travel he also lived in Illinois, California, Oregon and
Utah. Ernest was not only an artist but a translator and politician. In 1902 he translated from German to English, “Property and the State“ by Frederick Engels. In 1905 he published “Science and Revolution“. In 1907 he translated from German to English “Marxian Economics: a Popular Introduction to Three Volumes, including Das Capital“ by Karl Marx. All three books were printed by the Charles H. Kerr Company in Chicago which still publishes literature that is considered radical. At the Charles H. Kerr Company, Mr. Untermann became acquainted with Upton Sinclair and Jack London, whose works were also published by the same company.

For several years, Ernest was a member of the famed writers and artist colony, at Carmel-by-the-Sea in California .Ernest Untermann, along with Jack London, John Reid and others founded the “Socialist Party of America“. From 1908-1914, Ernest Untermann was a U.S. Senator form the State of California representing the American Socialist Party. Later in life Ernest distanced himself from Socialism when he realized that it had the effect on human nature to destroy incentive and promoted envy and suspicion, especially after the Russian Revolution in 1917. In 1919, he moved to the Vernal, Utah , while working as a mining engineer for a Chicago company at the Dyer Mine in the Uinta Mountains . He became acquainted with Earl Douglas, discoverer of the dinosaur quarry north of Jensen, Utah, which eventually became “ Dinosaur National
Monument “.

Moving back to Milwaukee , Ernest Untermann was the Director of the Washington Park Zoo from 1935-1939. Ernest contributed articles to Parks and Recreation magazine and hosted the American Zoology Association Annual Conference in Milwaukee in 1938. While at the zoo Ernest was able to study the anatomy of many different animals first hand. This was very helpful in his later paintings of prehistoric life.

In 1946, Utah Governor Herbert B. Maw made $200.000 of Department of Publicity and Industrial Development funds available for the construction of the Utah Field House of Natural History in Vernal, Utah. Ernest Untermann's son, G.E. “Ernie“ Untermann with his wife Billie were Rangers and Naturalists at Dinosaur National Monument . Ernie Untermann was appointed director of the new Museum Project to see that the funds were held intact while preliminary plans for the museum were drawn up. Upon completion of the Museum in July 1948, the State of Utah appointed G.E.“Ernie“ Untermann, director and Billy Untermann staff scientist. Both also served as curators. They served many years under four different Utah Governors.

Ernest Untermann, Sr. joined the staff as artist, contributing over 100 paintings. Ernest Untermann, Sr. loved the remote rugged country of the Rocky Mountains and the High Uintas and painted many landscapes of the canyons, rock formations, rivers lakes and forests to be found there.

Ernest Untermann, Sr. was obsessed with the detailed authenticity of his dinosaur “reconstructions“ Sometimes his life-like paintings were produced after first modeling the subject in clay. Untermann produced a large body of dinosaur and prehistoric mammal paintings which can be found at Utah Field House Museum State Park in Vernal, Utah, Dinosaur Monument in Jensen, Utah, The Springville Art Museum in Springville, Utah, and elsewhere. Ernest Untermann had paintings in the inventory of Upton Sinclair, Jack London and The Charles H. Kerr Company.

Ernest Untermann died January 5 th , 1956 , at the age of 91 in Vernal, Utah . His life is best summed up in his own words, “No human faculty compares in value with the ability to search for the truth, to recognize it, love it and make every sacrifice for it.“

References-
1. University of Wisconsin , Milwaukee abstract Ernest Untermann papers 1933-1956
2. Milwaukee Park Zoo, Ernest Untermann AZA President 1938-1939
3. Autobiographical Sketch Ernest Untermann 1864-1956
4. Guide to Dinosaur Land by G.E and Billie Untermann
5. The Political Graveyard California Senators 1910's Ernest Untermann Socialist Party

For more information - archie paul mcfarland apaulmcfarland@hotmail.com

Biography courtesy of Archie Paul McFarland (former student)