San Ildefonso Koosa Clown with Watermelon [SOLD]

J.D. Roybal (José Disiderio Roybal) was encouraged to paint in 1930 by his day school teacher but did not become productive as a painter until the 1950s, and was most productive in the 1960s decade and passed away in 1978. He painted primarily in the traditional pueblo style while adding touches that are uniquely his own. Roybal used water-based paints. He developed fine color, excellent detail, small and fine lines, and gesturing figures in his work.

Roybal was particularly fond of painting Koosa (Tewa Clowns). In this image he has pictured a clown walking away with his loot of watermelons. The clowns generally torment the Katsina dancers during a ceremony and they are known to eat in excess. They are always gluttons and pictured as such when hoarding food.

Roybal was a nephew of Alfonso Roybal (Awa Tsireh) and he lived at San Ildefonso Pueblo. His paintings feature fine color, excellent detail and usually humor.  Roybal never overlooked the finest details regardless of the complexity or simplicity of a painting.

Condition: appears to be in original condition but has not been examined out of the frame.

Provenance: from the collection of a gentleman from San Francisco

Recommended Reading: Southwest Indian Painting: A Changing Art by Clara Lee Tanner