Original Watercolor Pueblo Painting of Women Baking Bread in Horno [SOLD]

This original painting was created by a yet unidentified Pueblo Indian artist.  It is neither signed nor dated, and there is no text on verso, so its origins will most likely remain a mystery.  Many viewers will notice that the painting bears some resemblance to the work of Geronima Cruz Montoya during the period when she was attending the Santa Fe Indian School in the 1930s.  That attribution is worth considering, but we’re not able to say with certainty who made this piece.  

This mysterious painting presents a charming, beautiful depiction of daily Pueblo life.  In the foreground, two women work together to prepare bread, placing the fruits of their labor into two large baskets.  Behind the women stands a large horno oven, and off to the right, the end of a tall building is visible.   The artist’s work here is strong.  The figures are warm and appealing, with colorful traditional dresses and faces that are full of character.  Translucent watercolors soften the brighter tones, and strong outlines define each element with precision. 

On the left, leaning against the horno wall, is a mop which is for mopping out the oven before starting to bake the bread.  Nearby on the ground is a homemade broom for sweeping out any ashes.  The process for baking bread is to build a fire in the horno and cover the opening to retain the heat.  After the fire is burned out, the ashes are removed, the oven cleaned, and the bread placed into the oven.  The opening is closed again, and the retained heat bakes the bread.

The painting is framed in a carved wood frame, under a tan mat board.

Condition: very good condition

Provenance: this Original Watercolor Pueblo Painting of Women Baking Bread in Horno is from a private Santa Fe collection        

Recommended Reading: Modern by Tradition: American Indian Painting in the Studio Style by Bruce Bernstein and W. Jackson Rushing

Relative Links: Native American Painting, Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo – San Juan Pueblo, Robert Montoya, Paul Montoya, Gerónima Cruz Montoya (1915 - 2015) P'otsúnú - White Shell