Harrison Begay Original Painting of Buffalo Hunt ca. 1930s [SOLD]

This original painting was made by influential Diné of the Navajo Nation artist Harrison Begay. It dates to the 1930s, a period that some consider to be Begay's best. 1960s and 1970s works are widely considered to be Begay's strongest, at least on a technical level, but early works like this painting excel in spirit and character. These early works also explore a wider variety of subject matter. Here, we see something that is not uncommon in Native painting but most certainly rare for Begay: a buffalo hunt.

Begay placed a single hunter on the back of a gray and white horse. The horse appears to be galloping at full speed, looking to its right. The hunter, meanwhile, raises his spear and prepares to strike the buffalo. A sun symbol and a bird appear in the upper corners; plants appear down below. Each figure was depicted in detail, with style and skill, and the composition as whole is incredibly strong. This energetic painting is a wonderful example of Harrison Begay's early work.

The painting is signed Begay in lower right. It is framed using archival materials and a gorgeous carved wood frame.

Harrison Begay (1917-2012) Haskay Yahne Yah - The Wandering Boy was a world-renowned Diné (Navajo) painter who is generally regarded as one of the most successful and influential early Native American painters. Begay studied under Dorothy Dunn at the Santa Fe Indian School in the 1930s, and then attended colleges in North Carolina and Arizona. From 1942 to 1945, he served in the US Army Signal Corps. In 1947, Begay returned to the Navajo reservation, where he enjoyed a long and productive career as a painter. He is known to have continued painting into his 90s. Begay passed away in 2012, leaving behind a large body of work and a legacy in the world of Native art.

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: this Harrison Begay Original Painting of Buffalo Hunt ca. 1930s is from a private collection

Recommended Reading: American Indian Painting of the Southwest and Plains Areas by Dorothy Dunn (1903-1992)

TAGS: Navajo, Native American Paintings, Harrison Begay