Untitled Original Painting of Buffalo Hunt [SOLD]

This untitled painting by Arapaho artist Carl Sweezy provides a wonderfully unique take on a subject that has inspired countless Native paintings: a buffalo hunt.  Sweezy’s version of this common scene is outstanding. His hunters seem to have been created effortlessly despite being pictured in positions that were most likely challenging to paint.  The horse in the foreground is in a slightly exaggerated position—front legs extended out together, hind legs extended back together—that nods to Sweezy’s history as a ledger artist. The image’s most notably distinct feature is the pair of buffaloes.  Their brawny, hulking bodies would be intimidating were their faces not so sweet and captivating. Their huge, expressive eyes are their most enchanting quality. This exceptional image will surprise those who thought they’d seen one too many buffalo hunt paintings.

The painting is signed “Carl Sweezy” in its lower right corner.

Carl Sweezy (1879-1953) Wattan was a talented and influential Arapaho painter and ledger artist. Sweezy was born in 1879 on old Cheyenne-Arapaho Reservation in Oklahoma. His father was Hinan Ba Seth (Big Man) and his mother, unfortunately, died when he was very young.  Sweezy attended Mennonite Mission Schools in Oklahoma and Kansas. He also attended Chilocco and Carlisle Indian Schools. Sweezy’s Indian name was Wattan, or “Black.” He was also known as “Waatina.”   Sweezy’s style was informed by Plains ledger art, which was flourishing during his early life. He occasionally created ledger art and painted portraits, but he is best known today for his excellent watercolor paintings.  Sweezy’s long list of notable exhibitions includes the American Indian Exposition, Philbrook Arts Center, and the Intertribal Indian Ceremonials in Gallup. His works are included in the collections of the Smithsonian Institution, Chicago Natural History Museum, Gilcrease Institute, Museum of the American Indian, and University of Oklahoma.  Sweezy passed away on May 28, 1953 in Lawton, Oklahoma.

Condition: this Untitled Original Painting of Buffalo Hunt is in excellent condition

Provenance: from the large collection of a Texas resident, originally obtained from Sweezy by European artist and educator Oscar Jacobson.

Recommended Reading: American Indian Painters: A Biographical Directory by Jeanne Snodgrass