“Fighting Stallions” by Frank Paul Vigil

This striking black and white painting, dated 1958, captures two magnificent stallions that appear to be floating among the clouds. Artist Frank Paul Vigil presents the animals with a stunning blend of power and grace. Their manes fly as they race across the landscape, kicking up dust with a tangible sense of freedom and motion. The painting is signed and dated '58 in the lower right corner.

This intimate knowledge of animals is the signature of the artist, Frank Paul Vigil (born 1922). He grew up on the Jicarilla Apache reservation in Northwestern New Mexico, surrounded by both domestic and wild creatures. As a self-taught artist, Vigil was fascinated by the animals — especially the horses, elk, and deer that were important to him — and began drawing them in active motion and at rest. As a hunter and outdoorsman, his paintings reflect this deep, personal connection.

Vigil later married a Jemez woman and lived in her village, and he served in the US Army during World War II. He became widely known for his action-filled depictions of galloping horses, like the one featured here, and for his traditional Apache images, such as the Crown Dancers. His work has been exhibited at major venues, including the Gallup Inter-tribal Indian Ceremonials and the Philbrook in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Condition: very good condition

Provenance: from a client of Adobe Gallery

Recommended Reading: Southwest Indian Painting-a changing art by Clara Lee Tanner

TAGS: Native American Paintings, Apache, Frank Paul Vigil