Description

This vibrant and meticulously detailed work captures the spiritual essence of Southwestern Indigenous iconography, likely inspired by Hopi or Zuni Katsina (Kachina) traditions. The composition features three distinct figures, each richly adorned with traditional symbols and ceremonial regalia.

• Left Figure: A fire-bearing guardian or runner figure wearing a horned, multi-tiered mask, holding twin torches. The chest features a distinct "HOKYANA" inscription.

• Central Figure: A prominent deity or spirit figure characterized by a feathered tableta, curved horns, and a central eagle motif on the kilt, symbolizing strength and connection to the heavens.

• Right Figure: A figure bearing a green lizard on the torso—a symbol of protection and survival—and holding a ceremonial rattle or sacred object.

The background is a soft, stippled blue sky with sun and moon orbs, grounding the figures in a celestial landscape. The foreground features a lush green band of repetitive "mountain" or "cloud" motifs, a hallmark of Puebloan design representing the prayer for rain. This piece is a masterful blend of 20th-century Native American "Flatstyle" painting and modern folk-art sensibilities, utilizing bold outlines and a sophisticated color palette of ochre, turquoise, and clay-red.

Auction Specifications

• Medium: Polychrome Gouache 

• Style: Contemporary Indigenous / Southwestern Folk Art

• Frame: Custom black wood frame with white archival matting

• Condition: Excellent; colors remain vivid with no visible foxing or sun-fading.

• Dimensions: H:17in L:23in

Search Keywords

Native American art, Southwest decor, Kachina spirit, Katsina doll painting, Hopi Zuni style, Indigenous folk art, Puebloan symbolism, HOKYANA artist, lizard motif, tribal ceremonial art, Southwestern gouache, American Indian spirits, sun and moon painting, New Mexico Arizona art, polychrome indigenous painting.