San Ildefonso Watercolor of an Abstract Avian Creature [R]

Romando Vigil was one of the San Ildefonso self-taught artists in the early part of the 20^th century. He was a leader within the San Ildefonso Watercolor Movement, a movement that caught fire during 1915 to 1917. It fostered an art form unmatched in the culture history of the world. These men portrayed tribal culture and local wildlife, attaining a flat decorative character, absent of backgrounds and foregrounds, and free of traditional perspective, with an unerring color sense. Their success in their presentations was due to their understanding of the ceremonials they painted because they had participated in them since childhood. They understood the meanings of the symbolism they interpreted.

Vigil left the pueblo and lived in California for many years, yet he continued to paint pueblo images from memory.  He had an interesting life in California. He owned a motel during World War II, and he played bit parts in movies. He appeared in "Texas Ranger" (1929), "Pale Face" with Bob Hope (1937), and "Lone Star" with Clark Gable (1949). He also worked with Walt Disney Studios.

He painted murals while in California, and he was commissioned to paint a mural for the 1933 Exposition of Indian Tribal Arts at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington, D.C. He is well known for his painting of the "Thunderbird" at the Las Vegas Thunderbird Hotel.

This small image of a bird, executed in watercolor and ink, is typical of some of the artist's early works, probably before he left the pueblo to move to California.  It is typical of a style of drawing and painting executed by the entire early San Ildefonso group of painters.

The painting is floated in the frame in a manner that the full paper is viewable.  It is framed in a shadow-box format.  It appears to be in original excellent condition.

Provenance:  ex. coll. California Indian art collector

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