Allan Houser Bronze “Hunter’s Prayer” 1980

Hunter's Prayer is a poignant example of Allan Houser's ability to fuse cultural reverence with sculptural elegance. Cast in bronze and mounted on a wooden plinth, this sculpture — edition #9 of 20 — is of a solitary figure holding a buffalo skull with quiet solemnity. Slightly bent at the midsection, the figure's posture conveys the spiritual weight of the moment and the actual weight of the skull, as he sings softly to himself and gazes toward the horizon in a gesture of thanksgiving.

Houser's tactile sensitivity is masterfully displayed in the treatment of the sculpture's surface and form. The figure's long robe, textured with modulated tufts, evokes the appearance and presence of buffalo hide, while the feathered headdress, especially detailed at the back, adds a ceremonial grace. These elements work together to express a profound respect for the buffalo — central to the survival and spirituality of many Native cultures — and honor the intimate relationship between the hunter and the natural world.

Chiricahua Apache artist Allan Houser (1914-1994) Haozous is recognized as one of the most important Native American artists of the 20th century. Though he began as a painter, his later sculptural work brought him international recognition. Houser's art combines modernist sensibilities with deeply rooted Indigenous themes, and his legacy includes not only bronze sculpture but also drawings, paintings, and wood carvings, all unified by a distinctive sense of form and narrative. Hunter's Prayer embodies the quiet power and refined symbolism that define Houser's most admired works.

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: this Allan Houser Bronze "Hunter's Prayer" 1980 is is from a private Colorado collection.

Recommended Reading: ALLAN HOUSER an American Master (Chiricahua Apache, 1914-1994) by W. Jackson Rushing

TAGS: Chiricahua Apache, sculpture, drawing, paintings, wood carving, Native art,