San Ildefonso Painting of Indian on Horseback by Popovi Da

This San Ildefonso Pueblo painting of a young Native man riding his horse with intensity is one of Popovi Da's early works. Although it is undated, it likely dates back to around 1945. Notably, Popovi signed his name using a triangular "D," a signature element that his son, Tony Da, would later adopt. The bird at the head of the rainbow and the stylized plants hint at Popovi's eventual shift towards modernism. While the rider and horse are depicted in a traditional style, the rest of the painting embraces a more modern aesthetic. Even in these early years, Popovi demonstrated his natural artistic talent and ability to blend tradition with modern elements.

Popovi Da's life took an intriguing turn away from the pueblo at the age of 22. Drafted into the army, he was stationed at Los Alamos, just a few miles from his home, where he worked with a team responsible for constructing the cyclotron during the Manhattan Project. He spent six months at the Trinity Site in White Sands, and after the first atomic bomb was detonated, he returned to Los Alamos. After his military service ended, Popovi continued at Los Alamos as a civilian employee for the government contractor overseeing the site. It was around 1945 when he began painting occasionally. Three years later, in 1948, Popovi and his wife, Anita, established the Popovi Da Studio of Indian Arts at San Ildefonso Pueblo. His application for a small business loan through the G.I. Bill made him the first Native American to receive such a loan (Spivey, 2003).

Popovi Da (1922-1971) Red Fox was an influential San Ildefonso Pueblo potter and painter. His painting career appears to have been brief. Considering he began painting sporadically in 1945, opened his studio in 1948, served as governor of the pueblo, and began assisting his mother, Maria Martinez, with pottery in 1959, there was limited time for him to focus on painting on paper.

Condition: original condition

Provenance: this San Ildefonso Painting of Indian on Horseback by Popovi Da was sold to a collector of Adobe Gallery and is now available once again.

Recommended Reading: Modern by Tradition: American Indian Painting in the Studio Style by Bruce Bernstein

TAGS: Maria Martinez, Julian Martinez. The Legacy of Maria Poveka Martinez, San Ildefonso Pueblo, ceramics, silversmith, painter, pottery