Helen Hardin Painting titled “San Ildefonso Rooster” [SOLD]

"San Ildefonso Rooster" is an original painting by Santa Clara Pueblo artist Helen Hardin. It was created in 1979—on the later side of a life that was unfortunately cut short by cancer. By this point in her career, Hardin had succeeded at developing a unique style that referenced traditional imagery while incorporating modern ideas of her own invention. Over the decades that have passed since she died, her style has aged quite well, and her work stands in high regard today.

With this piece, Hardin offered an inventively composed depiction of a rooster. The rooster appears in the center of the image, turning his head around to his right, perhaps observing something in the distance behind him. Brilliant turquoise and red tones form much of the rooster's body, creating an impression of movement and energy. Grey, brown, and yellow tones appear as well, keeping the image grounded in the earthy palette of the Southwest desert. Dreamy clouds of gray and green form a deep and beautiful background. This gorgeous, colorful rooster will likely appeal to anyone with an appreciation for Helen Hardin's style.

The painting is signed Tsa-Sah-Wee-Eh and dated 1979 in lower right. It is framed in a two-tiered frame that looks like a more modern variation of the style often used by Hardin during the 70s and 80s.

Helen Hardin (1943-1984) Tsa-Sah-Wee-Eh or "Little Standing Spruce" was an innovative and influential painter from Santa Clara Pueblo. Hardin was born in 1943 to Santa Clara Pueblo painter Pablita Velarde and Caucasian civil servant Herbert Hardin. Inspired by her mother, she began creating and selling paintings as a teenager. She went in a different direction than her mother and her mother's peers, creating more contemporary works that depict Native American symbology with striking geometrical patterns and abstract imagery. She died of cancer in 1984, leaving behind an astounding body of work for her many admirers to enjoy.

Condition: Excellent condition. The painting was at some point treated with an additional coat of lacquer and then reframed, leaving a few traces of impressions in the lacquer around the edges. These are only visible when studying the painting very closely.

Provenance: this Helen Hardin Painting titled "San Ildefonso Rooster" is from a private collection

Recommended Reading:  Changing Woman: The Life and Art of Helen Hardin by Jay Scott

TAGS: Helen Hardin, Santa Clara Pueblo, Pablita Velarde, Native American symbols, Native American Paintings, Acoma Pueblo