Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability

CAS Anthropology Collections Database


Catalog Number

CAS 0370-0930   CAS 0370-0930; Painting
Category Visual Arts
Object Name Painting
Culture Navajo
Global Region North America
Country USA
State/Prov./Dist. New Mexico
County Santa Fe
Other Geographic Data City: Santa Fe
Maker's Name Harrison Begay (Haskay Yahneyah) (1914 or 1917-2012)
Date of Manufacture ca. 1934-1936
Collection Name Elkus Collection (Native American)
Materials Opaque watercolor on paper
Description Painting on white paper entitled "Navajo Children Before a Campfire", depicting Navajo man kneeling and 2 young Navajo women standing by campfire; Man dressed in gray jeans and rust-colored shirt; Woman on left dressed in blue skirt and blouse and red and tan striped blanket; Woman on right dressed in green skirt, rust-colored blouse, and gray and blue striped blanket; Several stylized plants are interspersed among figures, but overall there is little attempt at perspective; Signature "H. Begays" (sic) is printed in pencil in lower right corner; Artist's name, tribe, and title of painting are handwritten on reverse; "The Studio, U.S. Indian School, Santa Fe, New Mexico" is stamped on reverse.
Dimensions (cm) Width = 16.8, Length = 18.6