Original Painting of Mimbres Figures by Tony Da [SOLD]

This original painting was created by Tony Da, an innovative and influential San Ildefonso Pueblo artist. Da's ceramic works rank among the most sought-after Native artworks today, due to both scarcity and exceptional quality. His paintings are similarly rare—or perhaps even more so—and of the same high quality as his pottery.

This painting features two beautifully rendered Mimbres figures over a background of overlapping circles. The figures—one human and one animal—are clearly inspired by the artworks of the prehistoric Mimbres people. The human and animal appear in front of the circles, but neither figure is in front of the other. Rather, they pass through each other, with colors shifting appropriately as they do so. Additional elements appear within their bodies, and a variety of colorful pottery designs adorn the animal's tail.

Da selected a variety of reds for the human, and a bold black for the animal. The two figures' intersections take on a beautiful maroon tone with a hint of gray, and the background makes use of three beautiful orange tones. Most of the elements are perfectly symmetrical, with the one exception being the animal—it is depicted in profile, which seems to add movement and depth to the image. This painting is a wonderful example of Tony Da's skill and vision.

The painting is signed Da and dated 74 in lower right. It is framed beautifully, using a simple wood frame and multiple tiers of matting in complementary colors.

Tony Da (1940-2008) Thun-Phoe-She (Sun Dew) was a gifted and influential potter, painter, and jeweler from San Ildefonso Pueblo. His father was Popovi Da and his grandparents were Maria and Julian Martinez. Tony Da's works are among the most collectible pieces of Native art, and not just because of his family name. Tony Da was an innovative genius, whose natural artistic abilities matched—and in some areas exceeded—those of his ancestors. Tony Da's career was unfortunately sidelined by a motorcycle accident in 1982, when he was just 42 years old. After the accident, he was unable to continue making the elaborate and beautiful pottery jars, bowls, and figurines for which he had quickly become so well-recognized, but he was able to continue creating works on paper. Da passed away in 2008 and has come to be regarded as one of the most significant Native American artists.

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: this Original Painting of Mimbres Figures by Tony Da is from a private New Mexico collection

Recommended Reading: The Life and Art of Tony Da by Charles S. King and Richard L. Spivey, Rio Nuevo Publishers, Tucson. 2011

TAGS: San Ildefonso Pueblo, Popovi Da, Pueblo Pottery, Maria and Julian, Native American Painting, Jewelry, prehistoric Mimbres culture, Tony Da