San Ildefonso Female Dancer and Male Drummer [SOLD]

This original painting by Tonita Peña (Quah Ah) of San Ildefonso Pueblo was probably painted in the early 1920s. Over her career, Tonita used a variety of signatures on her paintings. (A complete description of the signatures and corresponding dates used may be seen in the biographical information provided by clicking here or on her name above.)

The image depicts participants in a pueblo dance in the traditional style with no ground plane and no background. In her paintings of dancers such as this she was able to make her dancers appear in motion rather than fixed in time.

Generally, there are women in Tonita’s paintings, and, as a rule, these women are taking a definite part in the dance as shown in the action of the feet. Quite consistently the feet are lifted higher than in drawings of many other artists. And the feet of the men, too, are more active. Of course, drummers are not dancers so his feet are firmly planted on the ground.  This type of action, peculiar to Tonita, is well illustrated here.

Tonita was the first female pueblo painter to be accepted seriously in the male-dominated career.  She might be considered a feminist of her time.  It was Tonita who encouraged Pablita Velarde to pursue painting as a career even as Pablita was being told that she should follow tradition and become a potter.

Tonita was a perfectionist in painting the figures she presented.  Each of the participants in this painting is costumed beautifully and completely and the artist has well illustrated the traditional clothing seen at such a dance at San Ildefonso Pueblo.  From the top of the head to the feet she meticulously painted details of the clothing, not skimping on any part of the dance costuming.

The painting was executed on cream-colored paper and is signed in lower right Quah Ah below which is Tonita Peña, a signature used in the early 1920s.

Condition: the painting appears to be in original condition

Provenance: from the collection of a gentleman from Florida

Recommended Reading: Tonita Peña by Samuel Gray