Painting of Pueblo Woman Firing Pottery by Pablita Velarde [SOLD]

This small, single-figure casein painting by Pablita Velarde, created during the 1930s, offers a glimpse into the early development of her artistic talent while attending the Santa Fe Indian School. The painting is identified by a label on the back, reading "THE STUDIO U.S. Indian School Santa Fe, New Mexico," confirming its origin during her time at the school.

In this insightful and simple composition, Velarde depicts a potter from her native Santa Clara Pueblo, arranging the fuel for a firing with two sticks. The scene captures a quiet moment of focused labor, reflecting Velarde's intimate understanding of the potters from her community. Her close association with master potters of Santa Clara Pueblo is evident in the authenticity and respect shown in the portrayal of the firing process.

Even at this early stage in her career, Velarde's work reveals the influence of pioneering Pueblo easel painters like Julian Martinez, whose style she admired and incorporated into her own. The painting exemplifies her ability to blend traditional Pueblo themes with the emerging techniques she was exposed to at the Santa Fe Indian School, where she began her journey as a groundbreaking Native American artist.

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: this Painting of Pueblo Woman Firing Pottery by Pablita Velarde is from a collector in California

Reference: "Woman's Work" : The Art of Pablita Velarde by Sally Hyer, The Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian

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