Original Painting "Untitled-Buffalo Dancer" [SOLD]

The Buffalo Dancer can be seen in ceremonial dances at all of the Southwestern Pueblos. It is seen at both winter and summer dances as a reminder to the Pueblo people of the traditional importance of the buffalo hunt. Today several pueblos have buffalo ranches as economic enterprises, a reminder of the time-honored importance of the buffalo. This particular painting is an especially good rendition of the Buffalo Dancer.

Raymond Naha was one of Fred Kabotie’s students. He was best known for his stylistic break from the early painting style of the Dorothy Dunn School. He continued to paint traditional subject matter, but in a more European style. He concentrated on accentuating the fine details of ceremonial paraphernalia using a wider range of colors and incorporating a sense of movement in his subjects.

This is a fabulous example of Naha’s ability to paint the fine details of a Pueblo dancer. The buffalo headdress is realistically rendered. The feather coming off the buffalo’s horn floats in the air as the dancer moves in the same manner as his ancestors. You can hear the beat of the drum as the buffalo holds his rattle in one hand and his bow in the other. The embroidery on the sash and the dance kilt has a three dimensional look. Naha has even included the tiny twisted pieces of yarn at the bottom of the kilt. This is great piece and is in excellent condition.