Ten-figure Eagle Dance Painting by Tonita Peña

This watercolor painting by Tonita Peña, titled Eagle Dance, vividly captures a ceremonial moment with ten figures in traditional Pueblo attire. The dancers with flowing garments are arranged in a rhythmic procession, their movements synchronized to the beat of the two drummers adorned with feathered headdresses on the right. Peña's attention to detail and mastery of color bring the scene to life, showcasing the vibrancy of Pueblo ceremonies.

Tonita had a distinctive way of signing her paintings. Through careful examination of over a hundred of her works, it is possible to estimate the dates of many of her paintings based on her signature style.

This particular painting is believed to date from the 1920s, as it features both her Native and English names in the manner she used during that period. The piece is one of her more comprehensive works and is rendered in the Studio style, with the ten figures isolated against a plain background, emphasizing their dynamic energy.

Tonita Peña (1893-1949), known by her Native name Quah Ah, was born in 1893 in the small New Mexico pueblo of San Ildefonso, located on the Rio Grande just north of Santa Fe. At the age of 12, after the passing of her mother, her father, unable to balance raising her with his responsibilities in the fields and pueblo, took her to live with her aunt and uncle at Cochiti Pueblo, where she would spend the rest of her life.

Tonita was the only woman among the early pueblo artists known as the San Ildefonso Self-Taught Group, a circle that included notable artists such as Julian Martinez, Alfonso Roybal, Abel Sanchez, Crecencio Martinez, and Encarnación Peña.

By the age of 25, Tonita had become a successful easel artist, with her work being exhibited in museum shows and commercial art galleries in Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico. She primarily painted what she knew best-scenes of pueblo life, focusing on ceremonial dances and everyday events. Today, she is still recognized as one of the most outstanding female Native American artists of all time.

Condition: very good condition with light yellowing on the paper.

Provenance: this Ten-figure Eagle Dance Painting by Tonita Peña is from a Santa Fe art collector

Recommended Reading: Tonita Peña by Samuel L. Gray, 1990. Avanyu Publishing (Alexander E. Anthony, Jr.), Santa Fe, New Mexico.

TAGS: San Ildefonso, Santa Fe, Cochiti Pueblo, Julian Martinez, Alfonso Roybal, Abel Sanchez, Crecencio Martinez, Encarnación Peña, Albuquerque, paintings, Joe Herrera