Earl Biss Oil on Canvas "Resting Place of the Black Water Clan"

Item Details

Earl Biss (California/Montana; 1947 – 1998)
Resting Place of the Black Water Clan, 1984
Oil on canvas
Signed to upper right and to the verso
Title and date inscribed to the verso

An oil painting on canvas titled Resting Place of the Black Water Clan by listed Native American artist Earl Biss (California/Montana; 1947 – 1998), created in 1984. This painting depicts a group of Native Americans gathered at edge of a small river, pausing in their journey to rest and water their horses. The calm subject matter stands in stark contrast to the dynamic, expressionistic brushwork, and the vivid layered colors that vibrate across the composition. This work is signed to the upper right, and is housed in a textured wooden frame with a gold-tone finish.

Provenance
Private collection, Cincinnati, OH
Purchased from Cowan’s Auctions, Cincinnati, Ohio, 2015

Born in Washington state and raised by his grandmother on the Crow reservation in Montana, Earl Biss (Spotted Horse) is considered the catalyst behind the meteoric rise of contemporary Native American art in second half of the 20th century. While still a teenager he studied jewelry design at the Institute of American Indian Art in Santa Fe, and then went on to the San Francisco Art Institute. After completing his studies he was able to travel across Europe, and considered the Impressionists a major influence. His modernist, abstract paintings are known fore their exuberant use of color and brushwork, portraying dream-like scenes where Native American figures seem to merge into the landscape. His works are included in the permanent collections of the following institutions: The Smithsonian Institute, Washington D.C.; The Museum of the Plains Indian, Browning, Montana; The Heard Museum, Phoenix, Arizona; The Museum of New Mexico, Santa Fe; and The Denver Museum of Fine Art.

Dimensions

- canvas measures 40″ × 30″.

Item #

18CIN517-295