Young Blanket-wrapped Navajo Girl Walking Alone [SOLD]

Most of Beatien Yazz’s work reflects the everyday lives of the Diné of the Navajo Nation. It is not always obvious when he is picturing secular life-ways or religious life-ways, but in this instance, it appears that the young Navajo girl is out walking alone, wrapped in a blanket to ward off the chill of the air.  She is, however, walking barefoot, so it must not be too cold.

Her dress, as viewed below the blanket, is the traditional wool Navajo dress with an embroidered hem area and silver and turquoise buttons down one side.  She has a beautiful face and long black hair which she has chosen to hang loosely over her shoulder. To delineate the blanket, Yazz placed purple stripes across the back and over the right shoulder.  A faintly purple liner shows in the blanket folds. She wears traditional jaclas earrings. She appears formally dressed for a barefoot walk outdoors among the cattails.

The subtle colors used by Beatien Yazz in this painting are still beautifully brilliant. He painted on color paper that is incorporated into the color of the blanket.  The painting is probably from the era of the 1950s, a time when Yazz signed his paintings Beatien Yazz.  Later ones were signed B. Yazz.  

The painting was framed without the use of matboards.  A brown wood frame was enhanced with a narrow liner of red which picks up beautifully the red in her skirt.  The painting is restful and pleasing and is soothing to view. It sets one at ease.

Condition:  this painting of a Young Blanket-wrapped Navajo Girl Walking Alone appears to be in original condition.  

Provenance:  from the collection of a family from California

Recommended Reading:  Yazz, Navajo Painter by J. J. Brody