Zuni Pueblo Painting of a Zuni Katsina [SOLD]

Mostly, this artist is known to collectors as Percy Sandy or Kai-Sa, but Sandy is a corruption of his name, which is Tsisete.  In this painting, dated 1940, he signed his name as Percy Tsisete.  Later ones were signed Percy Sandy or Kai-Sa.  He was born at Zuni Pueblo in 1918 and attended elementary and secondary schools in Zuni.  He attended Santa Fe Indian School to do postgraduate work.  He later moved from Zuni to Taos, due to internal conflicts connected to his depiction of sensitive religious subjects. He died in Taos in 1974.

This painting is a beautiful rendition of a Zuni Katsina, the style painting that got Sandy in trouble with the religious leaders of the pueblo and the reason for his leaving Zuni and moving to Taos.  The colors are strong and vivid for a painting that is over 70 years old.  It apparently was not exposed to light for quite some time.

The painting of the Zuni Katsina is on paper on which Sandy had begun to sketch another Katsina previously on the opposite side of the paper.  We have framed the painting so that the sketch on verso is visible as well.  The painting has been framed using all acid-free materials and Museum Protective Glass.  It is well-protected and ready to hang and enjoy. 

Condition:  The painting is in remarkable condition for its age.

Provenance: from a gentleman in California (along with our item number 25520)

Recommended Reading: Southwest Indian Painting a changing art by Clara Lee Tanner