Tonita Peña Original Painting of Female Dancer, Eagle Dancer, and Drummer

This original painting by Tonita Peña (Quah Ah) is a dynamic and beautifully balanced composition featuring three ceremonial figures: a female dancer holding feathers and evergreen, an eagle dancer, and a drummer positioned on the right. The eagle dancer stands out with a dramatic outstretched arm complete with a talon-like hand gesture and eagle talons held in both hands, capturing a moment of symbolic power.

Painted in vibrant colors on cream-toned paper, the composition is striking for its use of high contrast. Areas of white and black anchor the composition, while the drummer is rendered in subtle greys that offset the brighter tones of the dancers. The result is a work that is visually engaging and filled with cultural significance.

The painting is signed with both "Tonita Peña" and her Tewa name "Quah Ah," a dual signature that speaks to her cultural grounding and personal identity. It has been professionally matted and backed with acid-free materials to preserve its condition for years to come.

Born in 1893 at San Ildefonso Pueblo and raised at Cochiti, Tonita Peña was a groundbreaking figure in Native American art. As the first Pueblo woman to support herself as a painter, she opened doors for generations of Native artists. Her work, rooted in ceremony and daily life, was instrumental in defining the early Pueblo painting movement. A founding member of the San Ildefonso Self-Taught Group and a respected muralist and teacher at the Santa Fe Indian School, Peña left an enduring legacy. Today, her paintings are held in major museum collections and remain among the most admired works of 20th-century Native American art.

Condition: very good condition

Provenance: This Tonita Peña Original Painting of Female Dancer, Eagle Dancer, and Drummer is from a private collection.

Recommended Reading: Tonita Peña by Samuel L. Gray, 1990. Avanyu Publishing (Alexander E. Anthony, Jr.), Santa Fe, New Mexico.

TAGS: San Ildefonso, Santa Fe, Cochiti Pueblo, Julian Martinez, Alfonso Roybal, Abel Sanchez, Crecencio Martinez, Encarnación Peña, Albuquerque, paintings, Joe Herrera, Tonita Vigil Peña, Quah Ah