Original Painting of Diné (Navajo) Girl and a Sheep [SOLD]

Most of Beatien Yazz's work reflects the everyday lives of the Navajo. This young Navajo girl attending her single sheep certainly could be a traditional scene on the Navajo Reservation. She wears a detailed pleated skirt, simple velveteen blouse and traditional moccasins with leg wraps. She is devoid of jewelry except for jaclas-style earrings, a sign that she is working, not heading to a dress-up function.

Yazz was born around 1928 and became enchanted with drawing and painting at a very early age. There were no other Navajo artists doing such at that time. None were making a living from being artists and easel art was virtually unknown to the very isolated Indians on the Navajo Reservation. Yazz may be the first Navajo to earn a living on the Reservation as a painter of art.

It is quite likely that Yazz painted this one at the same time as the Navajo man riding his horse that we have posted as Item #C2962C. The two paintings make a beautiful pair. They are matted identically.

Condition: The painting is in original excellent condition. It is matted and shrink-wrapped and is not yet framed. The upper left corner of the mat is slightly mangled. It will be necessary to have the mat replaced at the time the painting is framed.

Provenance: This painting is among a collection from the Balcomb family, formerly owners of an art gallery which they closed in 1976.