Navajo Girl with Her Pony and Sheep [SOLD]

Harrison Begay (1914-2012) Haskay Yahne Yah - The Wandering Boy is a living legend among Indian artists. His traditional flat, graphic art depicts life, animals and religion of the Navajo people. He has frequently been copied but never equaled. He attended the Santa Fe Indian School in 1934 where he completed his high school education. It was there that he met and studied under the well-known Dorothy Dunn, whose influence stayed with him throughout his career.

In this excellent small painting, Begay has depicted a young Navajo girl with her pony and sheep. The Navajo Yei Gods, in the form of a rainbow, provide protection for her. Unlike so many of his contemporaries who used strong colors, Begay had an affinity for the softer pastel hues. This renders his paintings with a feeling of warmth and mellowness.

This painting is signed with his traditional English/Navajo names. It is not dated. The painting is not matted or framed.

Condition: original condition

Provenance: from the estate of the Balcomb family, formerly owners of several art galleries, the last of which closed in 1976.

Recommended Reading:  Southwest Indian Painting: A Changing Art by Clara Lee Tanner