Tewa Pueblo Deer Dancer Painting [SOLD]

We received a collection of 10 small paintings of dancers and katsinas painted by Hopi artist Waldo Mootzka.  These were painted in the 1930s. Each one was painted on the same background stock, painted in the same style, and obviously by the same artist.  Nine of the ten paintings were signed with the artist’s name. This Deer Dancer was the only one he failed to sign, but, when comparing the ten paintings together, there is no doubt that this one was a part of the collection and Mootzka just failed to sign it.

The northern New Mexico Tewa-speaking Pueblos—San Ildefonso, Santa Clara, Tesuque, Pojoaque and Nambe—perform animal dances during the fall and winter seasons as a plea for the animals to make themselves available to the people as a source of food.   Additionally, the dances are in thanks, as well as in plea. Each of the Tewa Pueblos probably vary the costuming of the dancers slightly but basically they are quite similar.

This Deer Dancer wears a bright purple shirt, traditional embroidered kilt, a white rain sash around his waist, knit stockings, moccasins with skunk hair, and a deer rack on his head.  The pair of sticks in his hands represent the animal’s forelegs.

Condition: this Tewa Pueblo Deer Dancer Painting is in very good condition

Provenance: from a gentleman resident of Santa Fe

Recommended Reading: Painting the Native World—Life, Land, and Animals by Valerie Verzuh, et al.