Prospector firing Rifle ( Happiness is a Warm Gun ) , ca. 1940
Oil on Renaissance Panel
12 × 28 3/4 in
Robert Riggs was a gay man. Being gay in American during Riggs's time was something not to flaunt in public.
Throughout Riggs oeuvre, one sees continuous references to strong hunky manly men and vulnerable boys. It is a core element of is iconography and is described in a powerful graphic style.
In “Prospector firing Rifle” Riggs is clearly making a sexual statement about the moment of climax. The long, straight rifle explodes and is captured at peak moment of climax. Meanwhile, the two sacks of gold clearly resemble the other part of the male anatomy. Riggs was a thoughtful and meticulous visual thinker and nothing in any of Riggs’s compositions were haphazardly placed. In tribute to the artist’s suppressed feelings, I have given this work a second title “Happiness is a Warm Gun”. It’s my believe that Riggs saw this work as more than an editorial assignment for a national magazine. This was an opportunity for Riggs to get pleasure in voicing his feelings, even if it was symbolically.
Signature: Signed Riggs lower left