“Navajo Ceremonial Antelope Hunt” by Ha So De [SOLD]

Narciso Abeyta was known for his Indian-themed paintings, which, stylistically, are atypical of most of the Indian art of his generation. Abeyta attended the Santa Fe Indian School and the University of New Mexico. He also participated in exhibitions throughout the United States and in Paris, France. He won awards at the San Francisco Fair and at the New Mexico State Fair.  He was living in Gallup, New Mexico, at the time of his tragic death.

Abeyta regularly utilized a “somber” color palette, as Clara Lee Tanner refers to it in her book Southwest Indian Painting: A Changing Art (see reference link below). She states that he tended towards blacks, browns, burnt ochre and reds. Tanner also notes that Abeyta was more interested in “bold effects than in minute detail.”

In this painting, we clearly see Tanner’s descriptions of the artist’s use of colors as well as his use of a bold effect.  The basic color used in the painting is burnt ochre with the figures outlined in black.  Highlights of green, red, and turquoise were used for contrast. Ha So De had a unique style of Native art and it has not been copied by any other Native artist.  It remains unique.

There is an excellent article entitled HA-SO-DE One of the First Individualists by Guy and Doris Monthan in American Indian Art Magazine, Summer 1976

Condition: appears to be in original condition.  Has just been professionally framed with archival materials

Provenance: from a gentleman in Santa Fe

Reference: Southwest Indian Painting: A Changing Art by Clara Lee Tanner.  This book is currently not available from Adobe Gallery