Al Momaday Untitled Painting of a Kiowa Warrior on Horseback

We have stated that Al Momaday was a "Kiowa Pueblo" artist. A few words to clarify this designation are offered. He was the son of Kiowa Indian parents, and in 1933, he married Natachee Scott at Jemez Pueblo in New Mexico, where he initiated a program that brought international reputation to the school. He is known both as a Kiowa painter and a Pueblo painter.

Alfred Momaday created this original painting. He was a talented and influential artist who explored a variety of styles and aesthetics during his career. With this piece, he stuck closely to traditional Native painting styles, offering a beautiful depiction of a warrior on horseback. The figures appear in profile, without any additional embellishment beyond the burst of earthy brown tones that appears beneath the horse's feet, and a beautiful sun rising from behind a mountain.

The warrior is wearing a traditional Kiowa hat, has warpaint on his body as well as on his horse, and he carries a gun while seated on a saddle blanket. Behind the featured warrior and horse, Momaday outlined a mountain without details, and a sun image in white with an orange band and red outline. These features add to the image without detracting from the featured images.

Momaday's figures were rendered beautifully. Careful shading and the inclusion of thoughtfully selected details resulted in visual depth and an admirable level of realism. The brilliant red and tan tones used for the warrior contrast nicely with the neutral and dark tones used elsewhere, highlighting the warrior's strength. This is a remarkable example of Al Momaday's work.

The painting is signed Al Momaday in lower right and dated ‘74. It is framed using archival materials, which complement those used for the painting. The wood frame is brown.

Alfred Momaday (1913 - 1981) Haun Toa - War Lance was a notable Kiowa artist and educator. He was educated at Bacone College, the University of New Mexico, and University of California in Los Angeles. From 1942 to 1944, he was in the War Department of the U.S. Corps of Engineers. From 1955 to 1957, he was Director of the All American Indian Days in Sheridan Wyoming, and from 1947 to 1967, was principal and art teacher at the Jemez Pueblo Day School of the Bureau of Indian Affairs of the Department of Interior in New Mexico. He lived in New Mexico from 1947 until he passed away at Jemez Springs in 1981. He was the son of A-ho and Mammedaty - Standing High, and the father of Pulitzer Prize-winning author N. Scott Momaday. He was married to author and poet Natachee Scott Momaday, who was of Kiowa and Cherokee heritage.

Condition: very good condition

Provenance: this Al Momaday Untitled Painting of a Kiowa Warrior on Horseback is from a client of Adobe Gallery

Recommended Reading: The American Indian by Oliver LaFarge, New York, 1960.

TAGS: Albuquerque, Kiowa Indian, Jemez Pueblo, Native American Paintings