Pablita Velarde Original Painting of War Dancer [SOLD]

This painting of a War Dancer was created by Pablita Velarde of Santa Clara Pueblo. It was completed in the early 1970s and originally sold through Enchanted Mesa, the Albuquerque gallery that represented Velarde at the time. The majority of Velarde's works that pass through Adobe Gallery were completed using the artist's own mineral earth pigments; we are always pleased to be able to offer a casein piece like this one.

Velarde's War Dancer makes the most of the artist's chosen medium, using the bold, bright nature of the paints to enhance the impact of the dancer. The purple, orange, yellow, and teal tones form an energetic palette, which is appropriate given the position in which the dancer is captured—in motion, performing his dance with an expression of focus and contentment on his face. Clothing and paraphernalia appear in crisp detail, as do the face and body of the dancer himself. This is a beautiful and unusual example of Pablita Velarde's work.

The painting is signed Pablita Velarde in lower right. It is framed under acrylic and two layers of matting in complementary tones, in a wood frame.

Pablita Velarde (1918-2006) Tse Tsan - Golden Dawn was an innovative and influential artist from Santa Clara Pueblo. Velarde was one of the first full-time female students in Dorothy Dunn's art class at the Santa Fe Indian School, where she studied alongside Tonita Peña. These two women are regarded as the first Native American women to support themselves as painters, but it's not just because of this that they are remembered so fondly. It's because of the quality of their works that they have remained so visible in the many years since they have passed. Velarde's works are included in many prominent public and private collections, and she is generally regarded as a significant figure in the world of Native American art. Velarde passed away in 2006.

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: this Pablita Velarde Original Painting of War Dancer was originally purchased in 1971 from Fred and Margarete Chase's Enchanted Mesa in Albuquerque, long-time representatives of Pablita Velarde and Helen Hardin. That original owner sold it through Adobe Gallery, and the previous buyer is now downsizing and has returned it for resale.

Recommended Reading: Woman's Work: The Art of Pablita Velarde by Sally Hyer

TAGS: Native American Paintings, Santa Clara Pueblo, Tonita Peña, watercolor, Helen Hardin, Navajo Nation, Pablita Velarde