Nephosthe weather behind the paintings

The two paintings are not reproduced. No open image licence or object-specific reproduction permission has been established.

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Arizona Desert, 2009.20, oil on canvas, 25½ × 30½ in.; Purple Butte – Arizona, 2010.15, oil on canvas, 20 × 24 in. Both: Huntsville Museum Association Purchase 2008 – Sellars Collection.

A study against the weather record

Jessie Benton Evans

Two Arizona landscapes

Arizona Desert, c. 1920 · Purple Butte – Arizona, around 1920 (curator estimate) · Huntsville Museum of Art

Two desert paintings, different palettes. What can weather records near Evans’s Arizona home add when neither season nor viewpoint is known?

5full years considered separately, 1918–1922. A comparison around an approximate date, not a creation interval or a date for either painted sky.

Season and viewpoint unknownRegional context only

The recordsThe holding museum

The Nephos method

How this study was read

The method in full

  1. What is written

    Arizona Desert is catalogued c. 1920; the Purple Butte card is undated. Natalie Mead estimates both around 1920. Their exact sites, seasons and making histories are unestablished.

  2. Records of those days

    • Phoenix City, WBAN 93140Daily temperatures and precipitation for five separate full years, 1918–1922; rain totals compared with complete city years in 1896–1932. Trace days stay separate.
    • Mesa, USC00025467Separate regional check. Incomplete temperature periods stay blank; no gap filling or station pooling.

    Not found or not yet searched

    • Neither title identifies a named landform or an exact viewpoint. Phoenix and Mesa supply context for Evans’s home region, not verified painted locations.
    • No documented season, day, outdoor session or studio alteration. Full years avoid assigning a season from colour.
    • No object-specific contemporary weather witness found. Rain and thermometer records do not measure painted colour, light or visibility.

  3. Each claim tested

    • Do the titles or palettes date the weather? No. The curator’s colour comparison identifies the pair; it is not a seasonal or meteorological claim.
    • Was the home-region weather uniform around 1920? No. The separate city records show substantial variation in recorded rainfall; monthly and annual values remain distinct.
    • Can a station confirm either painted sky? No exact site or day connects the pictures to a measured sky.

  4. Verdict

    A regional context study for two approximately dated paintings. The weather record cannot explain the palettes or identify the painted day.

    • UnknownThe painted weather Exact sites, days and seasons are unestablished.
    • UnknownWhat Evans changed No object-specific making evidence has been established.

What this cannot tell you. 1918–1922 is a chosen comparison span around an approximate date, not a proven creation interval. Arizona is documented in the titles. Salt River Valley context follows the artist’s residence, not a landform identification. Precipitation amounts exclude unquantified traces, which are counted separately. Rain days do not establish cloud cover or visibility. Phoenix comparisons cross downtown station moves; no homogenization or modern-climate comparison is claimed. Mesa stays separate. The supplied thumbnails are not published; no open image licence or object-specific reproduction permission has been established.

Step 1 · Two pictures, two date records

An Arizona title is not an exact viewpoint

Huntsville’s catalogue cards identify Arizona Desert, accession 2009.20, as c. 1920, oil on canvas, 25½ × 30½ inches, and Purple Butte – Arizona, accession 2010.15, as oil on canvas, 20 × 24 inches. The latter card gives no date. Both carry the credit Huntsville Museum Association Purchase 2008 – Sellars Collection. The card transcription preserves the distinction.

Chief Curator Natalie Mead wrote: “Both paintings by Jessie Benton Evans are likely to have been made around 1920.” (email to the author, 9 October 2026). On 19 October she identified 2010.15 as Purple Butte, Arizona and noted its “more blues and greens”, compared with the other picture’s more purple tones. That comparison helps distinguish the works; it does not name a season or a weather event.

Nephos’s visual reading of the supplied thumbnails: Arizona Desert places a broad, steep rock mass above sparse vegetation and tall cacti. Purple Butte sets a lower rocky mass before a more distant blue form, under pale clouds. These small reproductions do not establish an exact viewpoint, vegetation condition, time of day or season. No named landform is assigned to either painting.

The Arizona Women’s Hall of Fame, drawing on Arizona Historical Society material, places Evans in Scottsdale from 1911, with a home at the base of Camelback Mountain. That supports a comparison with the Salt River Valley where she lived, but does not establish that either work depicts Camelback, Papago Buttes or the Superstition Mountains. No object-specific evidence establishes an outdoor painting session or later studio changes.

The study considers every month in 1918–1922, with the years kept separate. These five years surround the approximate date; they are not proven earliest and latest dates for either canvas. Using full years avoids choosing a season from the palettes. The paintings are not reproduced because no open image licence or object-specific reproduction permission has been established.

Step 2 · Full years around an approximate date

The desert record contains rain as well as heat

Phoenix City’s daily record gives 11.10 inches of recorded rain in 1918, compared with 3.85 inches in 1921. Unquantified traces are additional and counted separately below. The span includes substantially different rainfall years. It cannot say which, if any, supplied either painted scene.

The National Weather Service station history places the city office at 2nd Avenue and Van Buren from June 1916 until September 1924, covering all five comparison years. These are city observations, not a gauge or thermometer beside either painted butte. A rainless station day would not by itself establish clear air, sunshine or the colour of a distant mountain.

Phoenix City recorded annual rain, 1918–1922Five separate full years; amounts in inches exclude unquantified traces. The data table gives values and trace-day counts. No painted year is identified.Phoenix City · recorded rain (inches)0481211.10191810.3119196.2119203.8519215.871922Traces counted separately · no date assigned to either picture
Separate calendar years at Phoenix City. The bars sum quantified daily precipitation; trace amounts remain unquantified. Neither painting is assigned to a year.
Phoenix City: complete daily temperature and rain coverage in each year. Rain rank 1 is the largest recorded total, excluding traces.
YearMean temperatureRecorded rainTrace daysDays ≥0.01 in.Rain rank
191869.2 °F / 20.7 °C11.10 in.27434 of 35
191969.0 °F / 20.6 °C10.31 in.30448 of 35
192069.0 °F / 20.5 °C6.21 in.303920 of 35
192170.8 °F / 21.5 °C3.85 in.363634 of 35
192269.4 °F / 20.8 °C5.87 in.333324 of 35

Ranks compare the 35 complete precipitation years retained from 1896–1932, before the airport service began in 1933. The longer city series crosses downtown station moves; the ranks describe the archived amounts, without a correction for exposure or urban change. Each temperature mean averages daily high–low midpoints; Fahrenheit and Celsius are converted before rounding. No years or stations are averaged together.

Step 3 · Check the months and the second station

Gaps remain visible at Mesa

Mesa’s GHCN-Daily file supplies a separate regional check. Only 18 of its 60 selected months have every daily high and low; none of the full years has complete paired temperatures. No full-year temperature mean is published for Mesa. A missing or quality-flagged reading is not filled from Phoenix.

The ACIS response retains the source ID, network, flags and observation time field for every city value. These historic values identify the TD3299 archive; observation times are unavailable. For Mesa, a nonblank GHCN quality flag, a missing value or a presumed-zero flag excludes the amount. A trace is not a measured dry day. Totals sum only quantified amounts and list traces separately; incomplete rain periods remain blank.

Every selected month, with the two stations kept separate
Rain amounts exclude unquantified traces. Phoenix reports inches; Mesa reports millimetres. Temperature means require every calendar day.
MonthPhoenix meanPhoenix rainMesa meanMesa rain
January 191849.6 °F1.14 in. + 1 trace daysIncomplete: 30/31 days22.9 mm + 2 trace days
February 191855.3 °F0.45 in. + 2 trace daysIncomplete: 27/28 days17.3 mm + 2 trace days
March 191862.3 °F0.93 in. + 5 trace daysIncomplete: 30/31 days39.2 mm + 3 trace days
April 191867.5 °F0.02 in. + 0 trace daysIncomplete: 28/30 days0.0 mm + 1 trace days
May 191872.2 °F0.00 in. + 2 trace daysIncomplete: 29/31 daysIncomplete
June 191888.6 °F0.08 in. + 4 trace days86.3 °F7.9 mm + 1 trace days
July 191888.3 °F1.02 in. + 5 trace daysIncomplete: 29/31 days15.6 mm + 2 trace days
August 191884.6 °F3.47 in. + 1 trace days81.6 °F27.4 mm + 3 trace days
September 191882.5 °F0.39 in. + 1 trace daysIncomplete: 26/30 days10.9 mm + 0 trace days
October 191871.8 °F0.52 in. + 1 trace daysIncomplete: 30/31 days6.4 mm + 1 trace days
November 191857.3 °F1.92 in. + 2 trace daysIncomplete: 28/30 days48.7 mm + 0 trace days
December 191849.6 °F1.16 in. + 3 trace days48.2 °F61.8 mm + 1 trace days
January 191950.6 °F0.22 in. + 1 trace daysIncomplete: 26/31 daysIncomplete
February 191951.2 °F0.75 in. + 3 trace days48.8 °F34.5 mm + 0 trace days
March 191957.5 °F0.97 in. + 5 trace daysIncomplete: 30/31 days17.5 mm + 1 trace days
April 191969.3 °F0.17 in. + 2 trace days66.3 °F8.2 mm + 2 trace days
May 191976.9 °F0.06 in. + 3 trace days73.6 °F1.5 mm + 2 trace days
June 191985.4 °F0.00 in. + 1 trace daysIncomplete: 28/30 daysIncomplete
July 191988.1 °F1.05 in. + 7 trace daysIncomplete: 29/31 daysIncomplete
August 191988.5 °F2.40 in. + 1 trace days83.7 °F35.2 mm + 2 trace days
September 191981.5 °F1.93 in. + 1 trace daysIncomplete: 29/30 days72.4 mm + 1 trace days
October 191966.7 °F0.25 in. + 1 trace daysIncomplete: 30/31 days12.2 mm + 1 trace days
November 191957.0 °F2.38 in. + 2 trace daysIncomplete: 28/30 days54.8 mm + 1 trace days
December 191954.2 °F0.13 in. + 3 trace daysIncomplete: 25/31 daysIncomplete
January 192053.3 °F1.42 in. + 4 trace daysIncomplete: 26/31 days48.0 mm + 1 trace days
February 192057.8 °F1.46 in. + 1 trace days55.5 °F31.7 mm + 2 trace days
March 192058.5 °F1.35 in. + 3 trace daysIncomplete: 29/31 days47.8 mm + 3 trace days
April 192064.6 °F0.00 in. + 0 trace days61.3 °F0.0 mm + 0 trace days
May 192075.9 °F0.42 in. + 1 trace daysIncomplete: 27/31 days5.8 mm + 1 trace days
June 192084.5 °F0.00 in. + 3 trace days80.9 °F2.0 mm + 0 trace days
July 192090.8 °F0.25 in. + 7 trace days86.5 °F3.5 mm + 4 trace days
August 192086.5 °F0.75 in. + 4 trace daysIncomplete: 24/31 days25.5 mm + 4 trace days
September 192080.3 °F0.10 in. + 1 trace daysIncomplete: 27/30 days0.0 mm + 1 trace days
October 192067.0 °F0.46 in. + 2 trace daysIncomplete: 30/31 days22.1 mm + 0 trace days
November 192058.6 °F0.00 in. + 2 trace daysIncomplete: 29/30 days0.0 mm + 0 trace days
December 192049.5 °F0.00 in. + 2 trace daysIncomplete: 29/31 days0.0 mm + 0 trace days
January 192152.0 °F0.13 in. + 3 trace daysIncomplete: 25/31 days7.6 mm + 1 trace days
February 192157.6 °F0.11 in. + 1 trace daysIncomplete: 27/28 days2.6 mm + 1 trace days
March 192164.7 °F0.03 in. + 1 trace daysIncomplete: 29/31 days0.5 mm + 2 trace days
April 192166.1 °F0.02 in. + 0 trace daysIncomplete: 26/30 days1.3 mm + 0 trace days
May 192173.6 °F0.17 in. + 1 trace daysIncomplete: 26/31 days2.5 mm + 1 trace days
June 192184.8 °F0.04 in. + 3 trace days81.5 °F0.0 mm + 3 trace days
July 192189.2 °F0.38 in. + 13 trace daysIncomplete: 27/31 days11.6 mm + 5 trace days
August 192187.1 °F1.62 in. + 7 trace days84.3 °F37.6 mm + 4 trace days
September 192182.5 °F0.33 in. + 0 trace daysIncomplete: 28/30 days0.0 mm + 0 trace days
October 192173.8 °F0.11 in. + 2 trace days70.2 °F21.1 mm + 0 trace days
November 192160.9 °F0.04 in. + 2 trace daysIncomplete: 27/30 days4.8 mm + 1 trace days
December 192156.1 °F0.87 in. + 3 trace daysIncomplete: 21/31 daysIncomplete
January 192248.6 °F1.29 in. + 0 trace daysIncomplete: 29/31 days38.2 mm + 0 trace days
February 192254.4 °F0.32 in. + 4 trace daysIncomplete: 27/28 days12.8 mm + 0 trace days
March 192256.9 °F0.99 in. + 1 trace days53.2 °F29.2 mm + 1 trace days
April 192263.2 °F0.24 in. + 3 trace daysIncomplete: 29/30 days11.4 mm + 3 trace days
May 192276.2 °F0.26 in. + 2 trace daysIncomplete: 26/31 days6.9 mm + 2 trace days
June 192286.2 °F0.00 in. + 5 trace daysIncomplete: 28/30 days1.8 mm + 0 trace days
July 192290.6 °F0.74 in. + 9 trace days87.4 °F21.6 mm + 3 trace days
August 192289.4 °F0.58 in. + 4 trace days85.3 °F34.1 mm + 4 trace days
September 192285.0 °F0.13 in. + 0 trace days80.4 °F9.6 mm + 0 trace days
October 192271.6 °F0.00 in. + 3 trace daysIncomplete: 25/31 days0.0 mm + 2 trace days
November 192255.0 °F1.04 in. + 0 trace daysIncomplete: 25/30 days27.2 mm + 1 trace days
December 192255.0 °F0.28 in. + 2 trace daysIncomplete: 30/31 days12.2 mm + 0 trace days
Every complete Phoenix precipitation year in the comparison

Incomplete years excluded: 1915, 1923. No gaps filled.

YearRecorded rainTrace days
18969.76 in.16
189711.03 in.29
18985.95 in.22
18995.19 in.18
19005.39 in.31
19014.87 in.23
19026.88 in.28
19036.61 in.27
19045.57 in.23
190519.73 in.32
19068.55 in.30
19078.17 in.32
190810.76 in.23
19096.17 in.32
19104.32 in.25
191114.04 in.24
19126.87 in.26
19135.39 in.26
19148.98 in.35
19166.76 in.25
19179.60 in.27
191811.10 in.27
191910.31 in.30
19206.21 in.30
19213.85 in.36
19225.87 in.33
19243.03 in.27
19254.16 in.25
192613.97 in.30
19275.73 in.27
19286.19 in.22
19295.04 in.28
19307.77 in.28
193110.32 in.55
19326.67 in.30

Step 4 · Return to the two paintings

Colour remains a question about painting

The records complicate a simple assumption that an Arizona desert picture must represent an unchanging dry climate. They show differences between years and months in Evans’s home region. They do not turn a green, blue or purple passage into a rain gauge, a thermometer or a date.

Mead’s observation invites a useful comparison in the gallery: why might the work titled Purple Butte carry more blues and greens than Arizona Desert? The station record cannot choose between observed light and artistic decisions. No object-specific contemporary weather witness, exact viewpoint or dated making account has been established. The painted weather and what Evans changed remain unknown.

Sources

Every source on this page

Weather values are rebuilt from cached NOAA/RCC files checked against sha256 fingerprints. Receipts distinguish downloads, HTML text extractions, a supplied catalogue-card image, its checked transcription, and supplied email excerpts. The museum homepage is an institutional locator for private sources, not a public copy. The card image is not reproduced. Fingerprints preserve the evidence used, not the historical interpretation.

  1. NOAA/RCC ACIS, Phoenix City, WBAN 93140, 1896–1932Public federal weather observations via RCC ACIS · retrieved 24 October 2026 · Daily high, low and precipitation; source identifiers and flags retained; TD3299 network 53sha256 df7e09246f719892131d20050e5824d86583b75c2f463024981b2441343b0933
  2. RCC ACIS, Phoenix City station metadataPublic federal station metadata via RCC ACIS · retrieved 24 October 2026 · Historical daily coverage begins August 1895; GHCN file alone starts latersha256 c57204f439cce783623701ee6cf26dba85f2320d8ce8d5218c50ef8cc7f6ea19
  3. NOAA/NCEI GHCN-Daily, Mesa USC00025467Public federal weather data; credit GHCN-Daily v3 · retrieved 24 October 2026 · Separate regional station; no pooling with Phoenixsha256 aeaed8ebd81137a87f78d9df1ef7741011f23980165ba07b81bcfbd2a6b9c6a9
  4. NOAA/NCEI GHCN-Daily station inventoryPublic federal station metadata · retrieved 24 October 2026 · Inventory coordinates are not verified historical instrument positionssha256 428eabc955883187935bce283766d5646e3ed7484b92eb0803874c0e8dd9b342
  5. NOAA/NCEI GHCN-Daily format and flagsPublic federal documentation · retrieved 24 October 2026 · Tenths of °C/mm; nonblank quality flags rejected; P means missing presumed zerosha256 0e4e6f0e6947cf1add884c328a01760f31c56ef5fb86b85ed57dd5dc4c4aeaa6
  6. RCC ACIS Web Services documentation, saved HTML text extractionPublic service documentation; research cache and short quotation · retrieved 24 October 2026 · Fields f,t,i,n,s; trace T is not a measured zero; network 53 is TD3299sha256 a9fbab5b4734c2a9d822c68500e67fd739efffd2f52aa8b0240656565c1f3d88
  7. Arizona Women’s Hall of Fame, Jessie Benton Evans, saved HTML text extractionInstitutional text; short quotation and paraphrase only; no image reused · retrieved 24 October 2026 · Arizona Historical Society material; Scottsdale arrival and Camelback residencesha256 46037b4514c7821a6fbac1120bc6590e35dfc370c46b1e3567e18e6bd3321899
  8. National Weather Service, Phoenix station history, saved HTML text extractionPublic federal documentation · retrieved 24 October 2026 · June 1916–September 1924 city station at 2nd Avenue and Van Burensha256 fdf4e59fb829f652bacc6cf8a43d6f4ba2799567e89cc535a6dc301f73c53fff
  9. Huntsville Museum of Art, catalogue cards for 2009.20 and 2010.15Private supplied cards; research inspection only; not reproduced · retrieved 24 October 2026 · Read from the museum-supplied attachment; no public object URL establishedsha256 de0a6650873377a206d85124fb6177c846f3dc377a8eea32820a5b08c683ac2e
  10. Nephos transcription of the Huntsville catalogue cardsTranscription for attribution; no image reproduction grant · retrieved 24 October 2026 · Manual reading checked against the fingerprinted supplied card imagesha256 97b94ed58368d282f579c663d1999dc59688aefa0088274d66279ec9214c8bfc
  11. Natalie Mead, emails to the author, 9 and 19 October 2026, supplied excerptsPrivate correspondence; brief attributed quotation only · retrieved 24 October 2026 · Museum homepage is an institutional locator, not a public copy of the emailssha256 e2110bbbea88028a2e39442fc92a773842028d3d93b4a237fdada17c0f583627
  12. Huntsville Museum of Art, photography guidance, saved HTML text extractionMuseum text; paraphrase only · retrieved 24 October 2026 · Visitor social sharing and professional photography guidance do not establish a licence for these supplied reproductionssha256 2396203473e510ebba9091e0c21a8fb0024b94e8b93ec9cd66dad688aecc11c3

The numbers on this page, as JSONThe method card, as JSON