Painting of a Kiowa Medicine Man [SOLD]

Stephen Mopope (1898-1974) was a painter, flutist and dancer who was born and raised on the Kiowa Reservation.   Mopope received a traditional Kiowa childhood education from his grandmother.  Later, he studied with Susie Peters of the Kiowa Agency in Anadarko, Oklahoma, and attended the University of Oklahoma in Norman.  Mopope would go on to become the most prolific member of a group of influential Oklahoma artists known first as the Kiowa Five and ultimately as the Kiowa Six.

The Kiowa Six—Spencer Asah, James Auchiah, Jack Hokeah, Stephen Mopope, Lois Smoky, and Monroe Tsatoke—was a group of influential artists whose works are displayed in museums and prominent collections around the world.  Their style was, in some ways, similar to that of the Pueblo Indian painters, but it is unlikely that either group influenced the other.  The work of the Kiowa Six evolved naturally from traditional Plains Indian hide paintings and ledger art.

It makes sense that Mopope would become the de facto leader of the Kiowa six.  His works are charming and accessible, and can be appreciated even by those with no knowledge of Plains Indian culture.  His style changed and evolved quite a bit during his long and fruitful career but always stayed rooted in Kiowa tradition.

This painting of a Kiowa man is a particularly unique work from this prolific artist.  Mopope, who most frequently depicted his subjects in true profile, allows the viewer to see his subject at a slightly skewed angle in this painting.  This gives the viewer a clear look at the man’s ponytail and bear claw necklace.  Another atypical compositional choice is his addition of a background—a cluster of teepees and a second hill tucked behind the one on which the man sits.  In keeping with the style for which he and his contemporaries became famous, the man’s clothing, pipe and feathered headdress are depicted in great detail with bold, bright colors.  The sun—surrounded by rings of pink, blue and green—sends rays down towards the man, who looks peaceful and focused as he cleans his pipe.

Condition: this Painting of a Kiowa Medicine Man is in excellent condition

Provenance: from an Oklahoma collector of Oklahoma art

Recommended Reading: Kiowa Voices - Myths, Legends, and Folktales by Maurice Boyd