Original Painting of Diné Elder and Sand Painting Imagery [SOLD]

This original painting was created by Harrison Begay, an influential and prolific Diné of the Navajo Nation artist who passed away in 2012. Begay was a prolific artist, and we have seen a few paintings with compositions that are loosely similar to that which is seen here-a medicine man or Diné elder educating children at the bottom of the painting, with a sand painting-inspired image up above creating a visual depiction of the elder's lesson. Of the few pieces we have seen that use this format, this is one of the strongest and most appealing.

The spiritual world, presented via the sand painting imagery, is truly remarkable. In the center of the image is a circular design, from which four important resources emerge: beans, squash, corn, and tobacco. Their colors-blue, white, yellow, and black-correspond with those of the Four Directions and the Navajo creation story's Four Worlds. Around this design are depictions of five Diné gods. A long, colorful Yei figure circles around the entire scene. The human figures down below are strong examples of Begay's style, grounding the image in the physical world while displaying inventive whimsical touches.

What stands out to our eyes is the beauty of the color palette, the strength of each figure, and the creative visual connection between the two worlds. The elder's tobacco smoke winds up and around the human figures before ultimately making its way up to the gods and sand painting symbols, providing a transition between the physical and spiritual world that will delight the viewer with its fluidity and ingenuity.

The painting is signed Haskay Yahne Yah in lower left and Harrison Begay in lower right. It is framed in a high quality, carved wood frame that is treated with a number of colors, which complement those used for the painting.

Harrison Begay (1917-2012) Haskay Yahne Yah (The Wandering Boy) was a world-renowned Diné (Navajo) painter who is generally regarded as one of the most successful and influential early Native American painters. Begay studied under Dorothy Dunn at the Santa Fe Indian School in the 1930s, and then attended colleges in North Carolina and Arizona. From 1942 to 1945, he served in the US Army Signal Corps. In 1947, Begay returned to the Navajo reservation, where he enjoyed a long and productive career as a painter. He is known to have continued painting into his 90s. Begay passed away in 2012, leaving behind a large body of work and a legacy in the world of Native art.

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: collection of a client of the gallery

Recommended Reading: Tanner, Clara Lee. SOUTHWEST INDIAN PAINTING a Changing Art

TAGS: Navajo, Native American Paintings, Harrison Begay