Untitled Single Figure Hoop Dancer by Mootska [SOLD]

Waldo Mootzka’s work has been widely compared to that of Fred Kabotie in terms of Mootka’s outlines and proportions. In the 1930s, John Louw Nelson employed Mootzka, among others, to create paintings for sale that portrayed Indians in everyday life. In 1940, Mootzka was in an automobile accident that exacerbated his tuberculosis, and he died later that year.

This painting, which depicts a single hoop dancer, explodes with wonderfully bright colors. It’s obvious that Mootzka had an eye for details, and this piece is full of them—from the marking on the dancer’s moccasins to the incisions on the bells that he wears on his regalia.

Condition: The work is in very good condition except for a couple of light scuffs to the paper at the top and bottom of the painting.

Provenance: ex. coll. California Indian painting collector