John Benson (American, Born 1949) "America the Beautiful/Buffalo on Prairie" Signed lower left. Original Mixed Media painting on Paper. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which was on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. 21c Bison stamp issued February 22, 2001. Many years ago, massive bison roamed in thundering herds all across America. Their hulking bodies some six feet at the shoulder and each animal weighing as much as a ton, the bison numbered in the millions. An explorer once noted they provided the Plains Indians with a four-legged commissary, yielding "meat, drink, shoes, houses, fire, vessels, and their masters' whole substance." For the Indians used every part of the bison they hunted. But with the settlement of the West, the hunting of this magnificent beast became a sport, as well as a means of subsistence. Soon, bison numbers dwindled, and the size of their herds decreased, until, at the turn of the century, they faced extinction. A conservation effort was organized to save this mighty animal. And today, in certain parts of the country, in zoos, and in official wildlife preservation areas, the bison roam again, dotting the prairie with the power of their being, and increasing their numbers in time. Today, the bison of America's plains are a protected species and number about 50,000. Image Size: 14 x 12 in. Overall Size: 20 x 18 in. Unframed. (B11481)