Fritz Scholder Lithograph “Indian with Pipe Bag” [SOLD]

“Indian with Pipe Bag” is a one-color lithograph by influential Luiseño artist Fritz Scholder.  It was completed in 1971 at Albuquerque’s Tamarind Institute.  It is a classic Scholder image that portrays a Native subject in the artist’s own unique style.  The man—seen in profile, holding his pipe and bag—occupies most of the image with his wide body.  His face is similarly amplified in size, with a chin that protrudes outward and a long, curving nose.  Scholder had a way with creating human figures that manage to captivate viewers without using too much detail.  They are bold and alluring, usually appearing to have been created in a naturally expressive manner.  Very little information is given, and much is left to the viewer’s imagination.  “Indian with Pipe Bag” is a fine example of Scholder’s ability to use just a few simple tools to create captivating, mysterious images.

This lithograph is signed Scholder and numbered 1 of 50.  It is marked with the chop marks of Tamarind, Scholder, and printer John Butke.  It is mounted with its edges exposed on a cream-colored backing. It is framed in a black frame with a silver rim.  The image is featured on page 68 of Clinton Adams’ Fritz Scholder Lithographs.

Fritz Scholder (1937-2005) was a world-renowned painter of Luiseño descent.  Scholder, who at one point had vowed never to create works with Native themes or subject matter, became a widely influential figure in the world of Native American art through his successes with painting, sculpture, and printmaking.  His Indians Forever suite, created at Albuquerque’s Tamarind Institute in the early 1970s, was the beginning of his experimentation with lithography.  He would go on to create a large body of prints, using a variety of methods and working with many different printers, all while continuing his painting and sculpting. Scholder passed away in 2005, leaving behind an incredible body of work and a lasting legacy.

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: this Fritz Scholder Lithograph "Indian with Pipe Bag" is from the large collection of a Santa Fe family

Recommended Reading:

- FRITZ SCHOLDER New Paintings and Lithographs

- FRITZ SCHOLDER LITHOGRAPHS text by Clinton Adams

Relative Links: Fritz Scholder, Luiseño, Native American art, Santa Fe, lithographs, Albuquerque