San Ildefonso Pueblo Unusual Depiction of a Buffalo Dance

This painting by José Vicente Aguilar presents a most unusual depiction of a Buffalo Dance. Such a dance is most often painted in a plaza ceremony depiction, however, Aguilar places the dancers out in a field as would be the animals being depicted. There are ram, buffalo, deer, and antelope impersonators roaming around independently rather than in an organized line in a plaza. It is such a refreshing way to present the dance as it clearly reinforces that it represents wild animals. Four accompanying drummers are presented in the top left of this painting (see close-up image below).

José V. Aguilar was born at San Ildefonso Pueblo in 1924, son of Rosalie Simbola, potter from Picuris Pueblo, and José Angela Aguilar, pottery decorator and painter from San Ildefonso Pueblo. "His education beyond elementary school was largely in California, although he did go to the University of New Mexico. He served in the U. S. Army during World War II, in Europe. For the most part, he has been employed as a commercial artist. He has exhibited widely in the Southwest and to a smaller degree in California; too, he is represented in both private and public collections, and has received numerous awards. [Tanner 1973:129]

"Although he started out painting in the traditional ways of his pueblo, and the Santa Fe Indian School, he was greatly influenced by Joe H. Herrera in his later semi-abstract work." ibid

José Vicente Aguilar (b.1924) Sua Peen (Warm Mountain) won many art awards. An honor bestowed on him was the Indian Arts Fund Award in 1962.

Condition: very good condition

Provenance: this San Ildefonso Pueblo Unusual Depiction of a Buffalo Dance is from the collection of a client from Oklahoma

Reference: Tanner, Clara Lee. Southwest Indian Painting a changing art, The University of Arizona Press, Tucson 1973

TAGS: Picuris Pueblo, Rosalie Simbola Aguilar, San Ildefonso Pueblo, Southwest Indian Pottery, Rose Gonzales, American Indian Art Magazine, Suzanna Aguilar, José Angela Aguilar (1898-1965), Native American Paintings, Jose Vicente Aguilar