Original Painting of a Navajo Youth and his Donkey [SOLD]

Yazz, born around 1928, achieved fame early in life through illustrations published in Alberta Hannum's books, Spin a Silver Dollar, in 1944 and Paint the Wind in 1958. As a result, his paintings have always been very much in demand. He grew up living in a traditional Navajo hogan with the rest of his family. He spoke only his native language until he was enrolled into the government school where he began to learn English.

 Jimmy Toddy was a name given him by the school teachers. His father was known as Joe Toddy. Loosely translated, Toddy is the Navajo word for "bluebird." Sally Lippincott is believed to be responsible for his other name, Bea Etin Yazz, which translates to Little No Shirt. An artist who hung around the Wide Ruins Trading Post owned by the Lippincotts habitually ran around without a shirt. Customers called him No Shirt, so when young Toddy started emulating him, he was dubbed Little No Shirt.

Yazz, in this painting, shows the determination of the young boy against the will of his even more stubborn donkey.  He has dressed the youngster in the traditional mixture of native and non-native clothing—native moccasins, concha belt and head scarf and non-native Levi trousers and shirt.

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

Provenance: on verso, written in ink, is the following: To Marcus from Granma Frances and from Grandmother Claudia 8/23/07 (Frances was Frances Balcomb) From the collection of a grandchild of the Balcomb family.

Recommended Reading: Yazz: Navajo Painter [SOLD] by J. J. Brody