San Ildefonso Single Buffalo Dancer [R]

Special Value Offer: The consignor has suggested we reduce the price of this painting from the original price of $2500 to a new price of $2100.

Paintings by Richard Martinez (1904-1987) Opa Mu Nu seem to be rarer than those by other early San Ildefonso artists. Perhaps he was not so prolific. Apparently he painted as early as 1920 and as late as 1950, but probably no later than that.  It is often the case that purchasers of pueblo art in the 1950s and earlier were souvenir buyers, not art collectors, and a large number of those paintings were not retained or taken care of, so perhaps that is the case with works by Martinez.  Fortunately, some buyers were serious collectors and as a result we do have some works of merit by him.

This painting of a Buffalo Dancer was executed in watercolor on black paper.  Two other paintings by this artist in our current inventory were both painted on colored paper.  Perhaps that was a style he practiced throughout his career.  The Buffalo Dancer is pictured in the center of a Sun symbol as often seen on images from Zia Pueblo. 

The painting is signed in lower right Richard Martinez but not dated.  There is a date of 1932 written on the mat board on which the painting is mounted.  It is written as 1932.179 as if it was a 1932 acquisition number 179 in a museum or personal collection of art. 

Recommended Reading: Southwest Indian Painting: A Changing Art by Clara Lee Tanner.  This book is currently not available from Adobe Gallery

Condition: very good condition

Provenance: from the extensive Native Art Collection of a resident of Idaho