Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability

CAS Anthropology Collections Database


Catalog Number

CAS 0370-1060   CAS 0370-1060; Painting
Category Visual Arts
Object Name Painting
Culture Navajo
Global Region North America
Country USA
State/Prov./Dist. Texas
County Harris
Other Geographic Data City: Houston
Maker's Name R. C. Gorman (Rudolph Carl Gorman) (1931-2005)
Date of Manufacture 1964
Collection Name Elkus Collection (Native American)
Materials Oil paints on canvas; Pine
Description Oil painting on canvas, entitled "Enigma of the Canyon Walls", depicting a solitary Navajo woman carrying a pink parasol while walking up the dry stream bed in Canyon de Chelly; Sheer red sandstone canyon walls are depicted along the left and right sides of the scene as the stream bed meanders back and disappears behind other jutting formations; Signature "R.C. Gorman" is printed in green paint among shrubbery depicted at base of right hand canyon wall; "R.C. Gorman '64, Houston, Tex." is printed on reverse of canvas; Title is printed on reverse of stretcher.
Dimensions (cm) Width = 25.2, Length = 30.5