Fine Art - Native American Paintings Diné of the Navajo Nation Drawings

Masterful Portrait with Coyote Headdress by Clifford Beck

Clifford Beck, Diné of the Navajo Nation Artist

Category: Drawings
Origin: Diné of the Navajo Nation
Medium: pastel on paper
Size:
19-3/4” Height x 25-1/2” Width (image)
31” Height x 37” Width (frame)
Item # C4924E
Price: $1800

This striking pastel portrait by Clifford Beck (1946-1995) captures a Native American man in profile, wearing a dramatic headdress made from a coyote pelt, adorned with eagle feathers. Beck's refined draftsmanship and sensitivity of touch are on full display — his pastel work shifts across the surface, softly smudged in places and boldly expressive in others. The result is a portrait that feels both intimate and powerful.

A celebrated Diné artist, Beck studied at the California College of Arts and Crafts, where he developed his affinity for pastels under the influence of Impressionists like Edgar Degas. He went on to teach at Navajo Community College before dedicating himself fully to painting. Known for honoring the dignity and individuality of his subjects, Beck's work remains among the most admired in contemporary Native American portraiture. This pastel drawing is signed by the artist and not dated.

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: This Masterful Portrait with Coyote Headdress by Clifford Beck is from an estate in Santa Fe.

Recommended Reading: Biographical Directory of Native American Painters by Patrick Lester

TAGS: Patrick Swazo Hind, Navajo Reservation, Native American Paintings, Clifford Beck

Alternate close-up view of a section of this drawing.