Special Value Offer: San Ildefonso Antelope Dancer at the Harvest Dance [SOLD]

Special Value Offer: The consignor of this painting has authorized a price reduction of 20% from the original price of $2450 to a new price of $1950.

Documentation and provenance are always assets to art of any form. It is refreshing to acquire art that a previous owner has taken time to provide documentation. This painting has a notation on the brown paper that was backing it that states the following:

“Harvest Dance” San Ildefonso Pueblo September Sixth
Nineteen hundred thirty nine The Day of the Harvest Dance

It is not clear from the description but can it be assumed that someone attending the Harvest Dance on September 6, 1939 at San Ildefonso purchased this painting from Awa Tsireh? If the year 1939 was not indicated, then it could be assumed that the description was only to identify the dance depicted in the painting, but adding the year adds some intrigue.

Awa Tsireh was early recognized beyond his native world as an outstanding Indian artist. His watercolors were 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 painting is true to style of this early period of pueblo paintings. There is no ground plane, not even a blade of grass, no background of any kind and no sky. All there is for the viewer is the finely detailed dancer. Note the extreme detail of the dancer’s headpiece and the feathers draping across his back. Awa Tsireh was keenly aware of providing the utmost detail to his paintings.

It is assumed that this painting would date to circa 1939 as indicated on verso. It is professionally matted and framed, the frame having been hand made by Tres Mowka Designs of Santa Fe. The painting appears to be in original excellent condition.