Lot 377
Woodrow Wilson "Woody" Crumbo. Gold Fever. (1912-1989) Native American artist, ceremonial flute player, dancer and legendary independent prospector who lived in New Mexico and Oklahoma. Likely one of the most interesting artists in this auction. A Potawatomi Great Plains Native American, whose passion was painting but supported himself touring reservations and performing traditional dances as well as mastering the Kiowa ceremonial wood flute in the 1920s and 1930s. His art is in permanent collections, including the Smithsonian, San Francisco Museum of Art and countless museums in the Southwest. In the 1950s, with fellow artist Max Evans, he took up prospecting and found the two largest deposits of ore, including an enormous vein of beryllium, which earned them quite a windfall. This painting was painted in the summer of 1956. Max Evans wrote on the verso that the painting was executed by Crumbo in a few hours near the Glen Woody Bridge in New Mexico, a few miles from Pilar, with notation signed and dated Aug. 23, 1958. A fantastic bit of history on the verso, of a celebrated artist whose painting (on canvas board) of a prospector, his burro and the New Mexico landscape is thematically perfect, given Crumbo's life and good fortune. 8 x 14" framed to 10 x 16" and in perfect condition. Estimated Value $600 - UP
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| Realized $375 |
