Lot 174
John Farnsworth (American, b. 1941). Clown Kachina Mask. Oil on board, n.d. Artist's signature in lower left corner. A striking painting by John Farnsworth depicting a kachina mask of Paiyakamu or the Hano clown kachina, here shown not on a dancer, but rather suspended via a string and safety clip against vibrant hues of tangerine and azure. Painted traditionally with a white face and black eyes and mouth, the leather sack mask is capped by a pair of drooping pseudo-horns that terminate in tufts of plumage or fur. Note how Farnsworth skillfully created craquelure to depict the crazed texture of the leather. The Hano Clown kachina frequently disrupts and makes a holy mess out of the most vital and fundamental rituals. He satirizes indigenous life by acting out and exaggerating improper behavior; thus teaching a lesson on appropriate conduct. The depiction of such a boisterous character in this lifeless, wilted state makes for an evocative composition. Size of painting: 19.4" W x 23.5" H (49.3 cm x 59.7 cm) Size of frame: 27" W x 31.2" H (68.6 cm x 79.2 cm)
The Katsinam, supernatural beings who live in the high mountains of the San Francisco Peaks above traditional Hopi territory, speak to the Hopi through costumed dance and song. These dancers emerge from the round ceremonial kivas that are at the center of their communities, singly or in groups, and dance to the music of drums, rattles, and song.
Artist Biographical Statement: "Born in Arizona in 1941, John Farnsworth is a mature artist and a painter's painter. Prolific in both watercolor and oils, Farnsworth paints with a contemporary eye and a traditional hand. His subject matter is without limit. From travel and landscapes to animal portraits, from still lifes to Kachinas, he paints his unique response to whatever catches his eye. Self taught, he works from life, sketches, photographs, and video. John paints using a limited palette that he calls the (Un)Limited Palette, consisting of just one of each of the primaries in watercolor, with white added when working in oil. He has painted full time since 1967 and his works range from small pencil drawings to the twenty by thirty foot mural 'Stage' now in the collection of the City of Phoenix, Arizona. Farnsworth has taught workshops in France, Mexico, Spain, Peru, Taos and Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Canyon de Chelly, Tucson and Tubac, Arizona. These workshops have covered such diverse subjects as Computers for Artists, Beginning Watercolor, The Horse in Three Colors, the (Un)Limited Palette, and Digital Photography." (artist's website)
Provenance: ex-private Bishop Family Trust collection, the Trust of the late Bill Bishop, a noted antiquarian with shops in Scottsdale, Arizona and Allenspark, Colorado, USA, acquired before 2010
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#174625
- Condition: Artist's signature in lower left corner. Set in custom frame with suspension wire on verso for display. A few barely noticeable nicks to paint, all in peripheries. Otherwise, painting is in overall excellent condition.
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