Pop Chalee’s Stallions in the Forest [R]

C3929D-paint.jpg

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Merina Lujan, Pop Chalee, Taos Pueblo Painting
  • Category: Paintings
  • Origin: Taos Pueblo, Tuah-Tah
  • Medium: casein on paper
  • Size:
    8-7/8” x 15” image;
    17” x 23” framed
  • Item # C3929D
  • Price No Longer Available

The most popular paintings by Pop Chalee are ones in which she painted numerous horses and ones in which she placed a variety of animals in an enchanted forest.  Here, she combined the two—horses in a forest. There are six colorful horses running through the forest, being overseen by four colorful birds flying by.  The painting was executed on green paper, providing a softer palette than would a stark white paper background.

This painting relates nicely to one in the Millicent Rogers Museum in Taos, New Mexico, circa 1960, by the artist titled “My Wild Ponies” illustrated on page 195 in The World of Flower Blue Pop Chalee An Artistic Biography by Margaret Cesa.

Merina Lujan (1906-1993) Pop Chalee - Blue Flower began life in a mining town in Utah. As a child, she spent her summers at Taos Pueblo, her father’s home, where she became acquainted with Mabel Dodge Luhan who was married to her uncle Tony Luhan. She also spent time in the village of Taos where she befriended the Taos artist community, many of whom indulged the pretty young girl by allowing her to watch them paint.

Artist Signature - Merina Lujan (1906-1993) Pop Chalee - Blue FlowerShe attended the Santa Fe Indian School.  As a student of Dorothy Dunn, she perfected her style in which Dunn described her as “…a specialist in minutely decorative woodland scenes of delicacy and sprightliness. Her small alert animals played against a colorful, balanced pattern of leaves, stems, and flowers, as bright-feathered birds darted in and out among treetops.”

The painting is matted and framed with archival materials.  The wood frame is of the style from the Santa Fe Indian School wood shop.

 

Condition: Pop Chalee’s Stallions in the Forest appears to be in original condition

Reference: The World of Flower Blue Pop Chalee An Artistic Biography by Margaret Cesa.

More Recommended Reading: there is a wonderful article “Preserving Pop Chalee” By ABQJournal News Staff, Published Friday, June 16th, 2017 (click here to view now – this will take you to their website).

Close up view of the horses.

Merina Lujan, Pop Chalee, Taos Pueblo Painting
  • Category: Paintings
  • Origin: Taos Pueblo, Tuah-Tah
  • Medium: casein on paper
  • Size:
    8-7/8” x 15” image;
    17” x 23” framed
  • Item # C3929D
  • Price No Longer Available

C3929D-paint.jpgC3929D-large.jpg Click on image to view larger.