Multi-storied Adobe Pueblo Building [SOLD]

Albert Lujan was an early Taos Pueblo painter who was ahead of his time in painting European-American style art rather than the Santa Fe Indian School style being practiced by most of the other Native American artists of his time. He, along with Albert Looking Elk and Juan Mirabal, was greatly influenced by the Anglo Taos artists of the time.

The work of all three artists was shunned by collectors and the Museum of New Mexico Fine Art Gallery because it was too much like that which the Taos and Santa Fe artists produced. Now they have become very collectible.

A few years ago, an exhibit of some 40 paintings was put on display at the Harwood Museum in Taos featuring the works of Albert Lujan, Albert Looking Elk Martinez, and Juan Mirabal. There also is an excellent article on these three artists in New Mexico Magazine, January 2003.

Lujan specialized in painting the multi-storied buildings at the pueblo, usually devoid of people. Typically, these views included one of the main pueblo houses, or an isolated adobe residence, each framed by beehive ovens, majestic mountains, a beautiful blue sky, and, occasionally, a ristra of chili.

This small painting is typical of his style featuring predominately the multi-storied houses of Taos Pueblo backed by the Taos Mountains. The painting is signed Albert Lujan in lower left.

Condition: appears to be in original condition

Provenance: from the personal art collection of Navajo artist Tony Abeyta

Suggested Reading: For a compelling and comprehensive overview of the life and artwork of Albert Lujan please see “Albert Lujan: Entrepreneurial Pueblo Painter of Tourist Art (1892 –1948)” by Bradley F. Taylor, American Indian Art Magazine, Volume 25, Number 4, Autumn 2000, page 56.