Special Value Offer: Original Painting of Female Holding Corn Stalks [SOLD]

Special Value Offer: The consignor of this extraordinary painting has authorized a price reduction of 30% from the original price of $3500 to a new price of $2450.

When Edgar Lee Hewett, at the School of American Research, was supporting the early Pueblo artists, their work was considered an “ethnographic revival” in nature and that is the manner in which they were encouraged to paint. After the School ceased its direct support of them, there was an immediate and sharp curtailment of ethnographic imagery and an increase in freedom to paint as they wished.

Awa Tsireh had been painting since before 1917. He was the oldest of the early group of pueblo painters. His formal education had not extended beyond primary grades. He was versatile in his styles of painting in that he was equally comfortable with representational or semi-realistic, representational plus conventional, and abstract.

Awa Tsireh was early recognized beyond his native world as an outstanding Indian artist. His watercolors where sent by Alice Corbin Henderson to the Arts Club of Chicago for a special exhibit in 1920. His paintings appeared in early exhibits in Santa Fe, and he was among the several artists to receive prizes at the first Santa Fe Indian Market. In 1925, the Chicago papers were generous in their acclaim for his exhibit in the Newberry Library. The Exposition of Indian Tribal Arts in New York in 1931 included Awa Tsireh paintings.

This is an extraordinary painting by Awa Tsireh. It was most probably painted around 1935 and the colors are just as brilliant today as when first laid on the paper. The condition of the painting is excellent. There is no foxing or acid burn evident. It has recently been framed using acid-free materials.

Provenance: Written on verso is the following: Bob, Pedro Lewr (?) Collection. Purchased Husky Hunt Lake Tahoe 7/26/67. Artist — “Awatsireh” Painted in 1935.