Original Painting of Taos Pueblo by Albert Lujan [SOLD]

Taos Pueblo artist Albert Lujan’s paintings have an enduring popularity with collectors of Southwestern Art, and this larger-than-usual piece is a rare find that might excite those who’ve already acquired one of his smaller pieces.  It is typical of the artist in that it is an oil painting completed on board, mounted within a simple frame. Its scale, however, is quite unusual. It’s more than twice the size of the postcard-sized images we usually see from Lujan.  Lujan’s subject here is that which he is known for: his home, Taos Pueblo. Lujan found success earlier than many Pueblo artists; he set up, worked and sold in the Pueblo’s plaza. The majority of his patrons were visiting tourists, who were able to take home a hand-painted, one of a kind souvenir for just a few dollars. Today, these former souvenirs can be worth thousands of dollars.

This extraordinary painting, thanks in large part to its increased size, finds the artist adding more detail to his classic depiction of Taos Pueblo.  Careful shading, richer-than-usual texture, and soft shadows contribute to its strength. The kiva, adobe buildings, and horno ovens appear as they do in reality—soft, light brown, stacked around and atop one another with roads winding in between.  The mountains in the background are purple, green and gray; this coloring, again, is entirely accurate. The mountains surrounding Taos are steep, colorful, and beautiful; Lujan’s depictions always seem to do them justice. Cloud formations hover above, hopefully bringing rain to the dry desert lands below.  This piece is similar to one we handled recently in that it includes people, which is atypical of the artist’s works. Lujan’s human subjects here are many; each is positioned differently and made of just a few strokes of color. They’re charming and unique, prompting the viewer to wonder why they were so infrequently included. Taos Pueblo is bustling with activity in this excellent image.

Albert Lujan (1892-1948) Weasel Arrow was an early Taos Pueblo painter.  Lujan was ahead of his time in painting European-American style art rather than the Santa Fe Indian School style being practiced by most of the other Native American artists of his time. He, along with Albert Looking Elk Martinez and Juan Mirabal, was greatly influenced by the Anglo Taos artists of the time.  The work of all three artists was shunned by collectors and the Museum of New Mexico Fine Art Gallery because it was too much like that which the Taos and Santa Fe artists produced. Today, however, collectors and museums have a great appreciation for works by the “Three Taos Pueblo Painters.”

Lujan, who was also a farmer and minister, never received any formal artistic training.  He began painting around 1915, which would place him among the earliest known pueblo painters.  He specialized in painting the multi-storied buildings at the pueblo, usually devoid of people. Typically, these views included one of the main pueblo houses or an isolated adobe residence, each framed by beehive ovens, majestic mountains, a beautiful blue sky, and, occasionally, a ristra of chili. Lujan passed away in 1948; his works are highly collectible today.

The painting is signed “Albert Lujan” in lower right.  It is presented in a simple wood frame, which is painted black with red edges.  The following text is written on verso: “Bought from John Martinez, Taos Indian, 1974. Painted in 1930, Taos Pueblo.”

Condition: this Original Painting of Taos Pueblo by Albert Lujan is in very good condition

Provenance: private Colorado collection

Recommended Reading: For a compelling and comprehensive overview of the life and artwork of Albert Lujan please see Albert Lujan: Entrepreneurial Pueblo Painter of Tourist Art (1892 - 1948) by Bradley F. Taylor, American Indian Art Magazine, Volume 25, Number 4, Autumn 2000, page 56.