Harrison Begay (Haashké yah Níyá) “The Weavers”, Serigraph, Early 1950s

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Harrison Begay (Haashké yah Níyá) “The Weavers”, Serigraph, Early 1950s

About the Item

A wonderfully evocative and well-executed early 1950s serigraph depicting Navajo weavers by important and renowned Diné (Navajo) painter, printmaker, and illustrator Harrison Begay (b. 1914 or 1917–2012). Traditional scene features two Navajo women—a mother and daughter, perhaps—as they weave outdoors, on a tree limb loom, a large and culturally significant tapestry depicting individuals gathered for a communal feast, each with various food offerings held aloft as they line up to present them to a tribal elder. Intricate line work and details abound, all finely and crisply done, with a lovely color palette typical of the artist. Very subtle sepia-toned shadowing suggests a paper cutout floating above the background. As explained in great detail by original labels affixed to the back, serigraph was printed by Tewa Enterprises, which Begay helped found in 1951 “with the purpose of making fine hand screened examples of Indian art available to the public and increasing interest in Indian art and the work of his fellow Indian artists.” Tewa productions typically ran from 8 to 15 colors per print, resulting in a considerable body of paint on the paper that gave the final piece the appearance and quality of an actual painting. This particular example very faithfully and skillfully replicates the original work, which was a gouache painting done by the artist in 1952. Signed in print at lower right. In original frame with ecru mat under glass. Dimensions listed are overall; sight is H 14.25 in. x W 21 in. Harrison Begay was born Haashké yah Níyá (“Warrior Who Walked Up to His Enemy” or “Wandering Boy”) on the Navajo Reservation at White Cone, Arizona, in either 1914 or 1917, with his name sometimes written as “Haskay Yahne Yah”. A stand-out student of art instructor Dorothy Dunn, who created The Studio School at Santa Fe Indian School, Begay's very fine and detailed line work with a flat, graphic aesthetic deftly incorporated sand painting motifs and symbolism, and is now synonymous with Navajo Studio-style art. His work has won multiple awards and is exhibited in museums and private collections worldwide. Begay was named an Arizona Living Treasure in 1997, and was among the most famous Diné artists of his generation.

Creator:
Harrison Begay (Artist)
Dimensions:
Height: 20.38 in (51.77 cm)Width: 27.13 in (68.92 cm)Depth: 1 in (2.54 cm)
Style:
Navajo (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Glass,Paint,Paper,Wood
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
1950-1959
Date of Manufacture:
Early 1950s
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Art with no notable signs of fading or discoloration. Very faint lighter and darker areas are due to reflections in glass or from printing. Slight waviness along mat. Frame with some tiny nicks on edges and a scuff mark on bottom and top sections.
Seller Location:
San Francisco, CA
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU955021637482