Original Cochiti Pueblo Watercolor Painting of Single Pueblo Dancer [SOLD]

This intimately sized painting of a single Pueblo dancer was created by Joe Herrera of Cochiti Pueblo. In his early work, Herrera was greatly influenced by his mother, Tonita Peña of San Ildefonso Pueblo, a renowned painter. As his career progressed, Herrera transitioned away from traditional styles, venturing into abstraction and modernism. This evolution is often attributed to the influence of Raymond Jonson, one of his teachers at the University of New Mexico. Herrera is celebrated as one of the first Pueblo artists to explore these modern styles. However, this particular piece is a classic example of "flat style" Pueblo painting, showcasing his skill in this traditional form.

In this work, Herrera meticulously captures the Pueblo dancer from head to toe with exceptional attention to detail. The dancer's figure is outlined with precise, smooth lines, filled with a stunning palette of vibrant colors that remain remarkably vivid. The dancer's attire and ceremonial accessories are rendered authentically, reflecting their real-life appearance in ceremonial contexts. Notice the subtle shading around the arms and legs and the intricately textured feathers-these elements highlight Herrera's mastery and invite a closer study. This painting is a wonderful example of Herrera's ability to create outstanding traditional Pueblo imagery.

The painting is signed Joe Herrera in the lower right corner and is framed with a wide tan mat. We replaced the original matting and backing with archival materials while preserving the charming original frame.

Joe Hilario Herrera (1923-2001), also known as See Ru, was an innovative and accomplished Native American painter. His father was from Cochiti Pueblo, and his mother-pioneering painter Tonita Vigil Peña (1893-1949), also known as Quah Ah-was from San Ildefonso. While his early artistic training and inspiration came from his mother, Herrera is of Cochiti Pueblo heritage. He attended the Santa Fe Indian School, served in the US Army during World War II, worked at the Laboratory of Anthropology, and earned a degree in art education from the University of New Mexico.

Clara Lee Tanner, in her book Southwest Indian Painting: A Changing Art, describes Herrera's innovative style: "In the mid-1950s, Herrera developed a style which was encouraging for the future of Indian painting. The rich design-lore of the past and much that is prevalent in religious forms today he combined into abstract painting. Again it is the clever manipulation of the age-old and omnipresent themes-sun, moon, clouds, rain, lightning, kachinas, birds, the sacred serpent. . . The end product is essentially Indian; it is also modern, for abstract art is preoccupied with form and color and pattern." Dorothy Dunn, in American Indian Painting of the Southwest and Plains Areas, notes that Herrera "did justice to a fine tradition in his authentically drawn ceremonial subjects. His work was unlike that of his renowned mother, Quah Ah, for his was coolly decorative where hers was warmly natural."

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: this Original Cochiti Pueblo Watercolor Painting of Single Pueblo Dancer was sold to a collector of Adobe Gallery and is now available once again.

Recommended Reading: Southwest Indian Painting: A Changing Art by Clara Lee Tanner

TAGS: Cochiti Pueblo, Tonita Vigil Peña - Quah Ah, San Ildefonso, Native American Paintings, Joe Hilario Herrera