Original Mineral Earth Painting of “Rainbow God” [SOLD]

Pablita Velarde enrolled at the Santa Fe Indian School following completion of the 6^th grade of elementary school at St Catherine's Indian School in Santa Fe.  She entered the Santa Fe Indian School as an 8^th grader (having skipped 7^th grade).  She took an art class under the tutelage of Dorothy Dunn and it became her favorite class.  She said that Dunn had her sit next to her own desk because the boys in the class picked on her since she was the only female in the class.  They did not want a girl in art class.

Velarde said that Dunn taught her to make beautiful earth colors by grinding up different earth minerals with a mano and metate like the ancients had used to grind corn.  Her use of earth minerals for paints continued throughout the rest of her life.  I was not aware that Velarde started with earth mineral paints as early as the 8^th grade.  I have always assumed it was something she discovered as an adult.

This is a very early earth mineral painting that was entered into an unidentified art exhibit in 1960.  There is an entry tag affixed to the back of the painting but it does not identify the exhibit by name.  It is identified as "Rainbow God" by Pablita Velarde.  The tag is dated 1960.

The main feature of the painting is the Rainbow God who appears to be dropping seeds.  Above him on the right upper corner are celestial objects, one of which is shaped like a gourd dipper which probably represents the big dipper.  To the left of the painting is a corn plant above which is the sun with a very happy face.  The full moon is shown rising on the kilt of the god.  If Pablita were still with us she could shed more information on the painting but this will have to suffice for now.

Condition:  very good condition for a painting of a half century old.  There is one very small chip in the far left near the frame half way up from the base.  There are a few spots in the mineral paints but nothing of significance.  A simple wood frame blends in with the painting.

Provenance: from the private collection of a couple from Arizona

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