Eleven Piece Carved Wood Nacimiento [SOLD]

I first heard of Navajo artist Tom Yazzie when I was working with Guy and Doris Monthan on their upcoming book Nacimientos—Nativity Scenes by Southwest Indian Artisans in 1978.  I contacted him to see if he would make a nacimiento for our annual Christmas exhibit at the Albuquerque gallery.  Over the years, Tom made probably 6 or 7 sets for us and always delivered them in January after our exhibit for the season closed.  We still had no trouble selling his nacimientos even after the holiday season.  The Monthans stated in their book that he had only made four nacimientos sets at that time.

Tom said he thought he made the first nacimiento around 1965.  The first four sets received serious attention.  One was exhibited at the Wheelwright Museum in Santa Fe; another is in the permanent collection of the Navajo Tribal Museum in Window Rock, Arizona; one took a Second Award at the 1968 Scottsdale National Indian Arts Exhibition; and one took a First Award at the 1978 Inter-tribal Indian Ceremonial in Gallup, New Mexico.

Yazzie had previously been noted for his fine woodcarvings depicting Navajo scenes such as a silversmith working or a Navajo woman weaving. He was most famous for his carvings of Navajo ceremonial life.

His carvings are from cottonwood root and painted with acrylic paints. All his figures are dressed in traditional Navajo clothing.  I believe that Tom Yazzie is still alive but no longer carving.  He is now 87 years old.

Condition: original condition

Provenance: we sold this Eleven Piece Carved Wood Nacimiento to a client in Oregon in the 1980s and now have it back from her estate.  It is a pleasure to have it for sale again.

Reference: Monthan, Guy and Doris. Nacimientos—Nativity Scenes by Southwest Indian Artisans, 1979