San Ildefonso Painting of a Black Doe [SOLD]

Abel Sanchez, or Oqwa Pi, as he was known in his Native language, had very little art instruction except for a few classes he took at the Santa Fe Indian School.  To quote the artist: "I, Oqwa Pi, have been painting since the early 1920s.  As I found that painting was the best among my talents, I decided to do my best to win me fame as an Indian artist....as an artist, I have raised a big, healthy family for my painting brought in good income...." (artist letter to Philbrook Art Center)

 Clara Lee Tanner in her book, Southwest Indian Painting: a Changing Art, says that Sanchez was noted in history for preserving and carrying on "many of the trends that might be thought of as 'native,' inasmuch as they were developed by Indians without any instruction."

 Characteristic of Oqwa Pi's style, there are no backgrounds, foregrounds, or ground lines, and he painted heads that were disproportionate to their bodies.  The latter fact alone makes his art primitive, charming and true to the folk art style.  The fresh color and action and the great simplicity of his paintings made the works of his well received in exhibits at the Milwaukee Art Institute, Yale University, Museum of Modern Art in New York City, Stanford University and the Gallery of Fine Arts in Muskegon, Michigan. 

Oqwa Pi served as governor of San Ildefonso Pueblo six times.  He was very popular at the pueblo and, when he passed away, the All Indian Pueblo Council and the governors of nineteen New Mexico Pueblos signed a resolution of sorrow and presented it to his widow, Nepomucena Sanchez.  Russell Sanchez, grandson of Oqwa Pi, is equally involved with San Ildefonso government and is a very talented potter. 

 The artist's subjects appear to be in action, but in a very subtle way.  The doe in this painting appears to be in the mountains and his raised right front leg indicates he is about to take a step.  The artist drew a green and red border around the painting as if to frame the subject. 

Condition:  appears to be in original condition but has not been examined out of the frame.

Provenance: from the collection of a gentleman in California

Recommended Reading: Southwest Indian Painting a Changing Art by Clara Lee Tanner