Three Leaping Antelope by Cochiti Pueblo Artist Manuel Bob Chavez

This masterful painting on paper by Manuel Bob Chavez features three identical leaping antelope, showcasing remarkable precision and repetition-a hallmark of Pueblo painting dating back to the earliest easel artists. A lone yucca plant graces the bottom right, accompanied by Chavez's signature Ow-u-Te-Wa. In the top left, a striking half-circle motif appears three times, once for each antelope, rendered in a mist of white paint that fades into ochre. The technical virtuosity of this piece is evident in the distinct techniques employed: fine line brushwork and airbrushing, both expertly mastered by the artist.

Manuel Bob Chavez (1915-2003) Ow-u-Te-Wa (Echo of a Song) was a respected artist and teacher at Cochiti Pueblo. After surviving the Bataan Death March during World War II, Chavez returned to teach art at St. Catherine's Indian School in Santa Fe, where he created an art department from the ground up. His dedication to art education spanned four decades, earning him the title of "Living Treasure" in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: from an experienced collector in Texas

Recommended Reading: American Indian Painting and Sculpture by Patricia Janis Broder

TAGS: Cochiti Pueblo, Native American Paintings, Manuel Bob Chavez