Special Value Offer: Original Acrylic Painting of a Mimbres Man [SOLD]

Special Value Offer: The consignor has requested we reduce the price of this original painting from $7500 to only $4200.

This is truly a work of exceptional drafting skills and superlative technical rendering. It may be small in size but it is quite exceptional and striking, as the work of Helen Hardin tends to be.  It displays a true sense of the complexities and intricacies involved in the creation of such a work. Over a sprayed background of golden brown coloration, Hardin drew a circle, representation of the world, and within that circle she placed a Mimbres man figure that is imposed over a sprayed background of gold coloration. 

Three triangles of complex design all point to the main image as if to draw the viewer's eyes to him.  He appears to be at the center of the earth, a fitting depiction for the important Mimbres Indians of southern New Mexico of a thousand years ago.

Each triangle is comprised of ever-increasing-size multiple triangles and the torso of Mimbres Man is a series of parallel lines superimposed over the sprayed background.  Every line of the torso, triangles and circles is absolutely perfectly drawn.  Notice that Hardin placed individual dots completely around two of the circles.  This attention to detail was always her forte.  She had unending patience for such.

It is signed in the image Tsa-sah-wee-eh with the artist's cartouche. The image is dated 1977 just below the signature.

Condition:  The painting has been professionally cleaned and is in original excellent condition.

Provenance: ex. coll. Santa Clara Pueblo potter

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