Pastoral Scene with Deer, Fawn, Beaver, Fish, and Bird

Beatien Yazz: Late Fall on the Navajo Nation (1982)

This impressive original watercolor, created by influential Diné artist Beatien Yazz (Little No Shirt, b. 1928) and dated 1982, showcases a beautifully detailed, naturalistic style. In this large composition, Yazz successfully captures the stark beauty of late Fall on the reservation. The landscape, detailed with trees that have shed their leaves, is bathed in the warm, diffused glow of a large, setting sun.

The wildlife is central to the narrative:

• The Deer: Standing silently in the water are a mature deer and two fawns. Their heads are turned sharply to the left, frozen in a moment of assessment or quiet vigilance, suggesting an unseen threat in the distance.

• Supporting Wildlife: They are observed by surrounding creatures, including a beaver hauling a log near the water's edge and a fish leaping from the surface. Above, birds fly in formation against the evening sky.

Yazz's color palette perfectly suits the scene, amplifying the meditative mood while remaining utterly true to the natural world.

The painting is signed as B. Yazz and dated '82 in the lower right. It is beautifully presented within a carved wooden frame designed to appear as a double frame, and meticulously matted under triple mats and a final linen layer.

As an artist who began painting at the age of eight, Beatien Yazz exhibited widely, achieved international recognition, and is included in major public collections and publications related to early Native painting. This painting represents his output before his eyesight began to deteriorate in the late 1980s, affirming his technical prowess and keen eye for realistic detail.

Some people may wonder which lake this is.  Navajo Lake (in New Mexico) is known for both rainbow trout and beaver populations. For this reason, Navajo Lake is the best guess for a location with both species.  Below Navajo lake is the San Juan Rivier which is considered the top ten fisheries in America.  

Beatien Yazz and the Navajo Lake Ecosystem

This painting by the celebrated Diné artist Beatien Yazz is believed to capture a specific, beautiful moment from one of New Mexico's most significant natural areas: the region surrounding Navajo Lake and the San Juan River.

Navajo Lake: A Vital Ecosystem

The subject of the painting is strongly suggested to be Navajo Lake in New Mexico. This region is a vital ecosystem, renowned for both its rainbow trout and beaver populations. The co-existence of these two species makes Navajo Lake the most probable setting for the scene captured by Yazz.

The San Juan River Connection

Immediately below Navajo Lake lies the San Juan River. This river is internationally recognized and considered one of the top ten fisheries in America. The region's reputation for exceptional natural beauty and abundant wildlife is well-deserved.

A Captured Moment

We are fortunate to witness the capturing of a beautiful, tranquil moment of this very special, ecologically rich place through the discerning eyes and brushwork of Beatien Yazz. His work serves as an enduring tribute to the unique landscape of New Mexico.

Condition: very good original condition

Provenance: this Pastoral Scene with Deer, Fawn, Beaver, Fish, and Bird is from the collection of a family from Albuquerque

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

TAGS: Navajo Reservation, Spin a Silver Dollar, Paint the Wind, paintings, Yazz: Navajo Painter, Beatien Yazz, Avanyu Publishing