Original San Ildefonso Pueblo Painting entitled “Deer Dance” [SOLD]

Abel Sanchez, or Oqwa Pi, as he was known in his Native language, had very little art instruction except for a few classes he took at the Santa Fe Indian School.

Clara Lee Tanner in her book Southwest Indian Painting: A Changing Art says that Sanchez was noted in history for preserving and carrying on “many of the trends that might be thought of as ‘native,’ inasmuch as they were developed by Indians without any instruction.”

Characteristic of Oqwa Pi’s style, there were no backgrounds, foregrounds, or ground lines, and he painted heads that were disproportionate to their bodies.

The artist’s subjects appear to be in action, but in a very subtle way. In this Oqwa Pi painting, entitled Deer Dance, notice how the right hands are slightly raised and the feet are gently tipped to suggest movement. This was very characteristic of his style. What is lovely about this painting is Oqwa Pi’s use of bright colors with the more drab browns and grays. One of the best details of the work is the inclusion of small feathers tied to the regalia’s deer antlers. While overall simplistic, he captures the spirit and mood of this wonderful Pueblo dance.

Condition: The painting is in original excellent condition, except for a minor crease in the lower left. The work is matted and framed and the crease is seen along the edge of the matting, but does not detract from the beauty of the painting. It is signed “Oqwa Pi” at lower right.

Provenance: ex. coll. California collector.