Harrison Begay Original Painting of Young Diné Man [SOLD]

This original painting was created by Diné artist Harrison Begay.  It features a young man standing among a flock of sheep.  In his left hand, he holds a bow and three arrows.  His right hand rests on the Navajo textile that he’s folded over his shoulder.  The sheep are grazing peacefully, enjoying a fine selection of bright green plants.  Wavy lines of white and pink form the hillside upon which they graze.

The style of the signature dates the piece to the 1950s. It is evident that Begay was operating at a high level during this period, as his work here feels delicate and crisp.  His color choices, which often extend beyond what is natural to include warm pastel tones, feel a bit more restrained in this image.  His linework is sharp and consistent, and the overall mood of the image is one of peaceful beauty.  This is a fine example of Harrison Begay’s work.

The painting is signed Harrison Begay in lower right.  It is framed beautifully, using an off-white mat and a 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 lasting legacy in the world of Native art.

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: this Harrison Begay Original Painting of Young Diné Man is from the collection of a resident of Texas

Recommended Reading: American Indian Painting of the Southwest and Plains Areas by Dorothy Dunn

Relative Links: Navajo Nation, Native American Paintings