Single Figure San Ildefonso Antelope Dancer [SOLD]

Abel Sanchez, or Oqwa Pi, as he was known in the Tewa language, had very little art instruction except for a few classes he took at the Santa Fe Indian School.

Clara Lee Tanner in her book, Southwest Indian Painting a Changing Art, says that Sanchez was noted in history for preserving and carrying on "many of the trends that might be thought of as 'native,' inasmuch as they were developed by Indians without any instruction."

Characteristic of Oqwa Pi's style, there were no backgrounds, foregrounds, or ground lines, and he painted heads that were disproportionate to their bodies.  The latter fact alone makes his art primitive, charming and true to the folk-art style.

In this representation of an Antelope Dancer, he presented the man with a rounded face and circular eyes and mouth, squared off shoulders and arms, hands not defined, and feet turned completely sideways.  This style of painting was certainly by choice as Oqwa Pi was very talented at painting humans.  Perhaps he meant it to be humorous, which it is.

Condition: appear to be in original condition

Provenance: this Single Figure San Ildefonso Antelope Dancer is from the collection of a client from New York

Reference: Southwest Indian Painting a Changing Art by Clara Lee Tanner

Image of Abel Sanchez courtesy Russell Sanchez.  Subject to Copyright - Do not copy or reproduce without permission.