PHOTO OF NAVAJO SAND PAINTING BLANKET

Object/Artifact

St. Joseph Museums

The image depicts a traditional tapestry featuring a row of stylized figures dressed in vibrant, colorful attire.

Name/Title

PHOTO OF NAVAJO "SAND PAINTING" BLANKET

Entry/Object ID

143/321A

Description

PHOTO OF A NAVAJO WEAVING, COPY OF A SAND PAINTING

Use

INSTEAD OF TRADITIONAL USES OF BLANKETS AND RUGS, THIS WEAVING WAS PROBABLY MADE FOR THE CURIO TRADE

Context

SAND PAINTINGS WERE NOT TO BE REPRODUCED FOR ANY OTHER PERSON OR PERSONS TO SEE EXCEPT THE NAVAJO. AT THE TIME WEAVING A SAND PAINTING WAS CONSIDERED SACRELIGIOUS BY THE NAVAJO CUSTOMS.

Collection

Harry L. George Collection

Made/Created

Artist Information

Artist

OLD JANE

Role

WEAVER

Date made

1921

Ethnography

Cultural Region

Region

Southwest

Continent

North America

Culture/Tribe

Navajo

Native American

Material

WOOL CLOTH

Provenance

Provenance Detail

YEI BA CHIE SANDPAINTING WITH REPRODUCTION VIA WEAVING

Notes

THE WEAVING WAS CREATED BY OLD JANE FROM A SANDPAINTING BY HER BROTHER, THE MEDICINEMAN THEY CALLED THE "BLUE-EYED MAN". THE BLANKET/RUG WERE SENT TO CALIFORNIA WHERE THEY WERE EXHIBITED AT A BANK IN SAN FRANCISCO. THEY THEN RETURNED TO THE RESERVATION AT SHIPROCK AND WERE PURCHASED BY BRUCE BARNARD AND RESOLD TO HARRY L GEORGE IN 1922. AFTER HARRY DIED IN 1923 THEY WENT WITH THE COLLECTION TO JEFF CITY, MISSOURI WHERE THEY WERE LOANED TO THE STATE MUSEUM. THEY WENT BACK TO ST. JOE AFTER THE LOAN EXPIRED IN 1945. HARRY MUST HAVE HAD THEM PHOTOGRAPHED IN ST. JOE RIGHT AFTER HE PURCHASED THEM. TOO BAD HE DIDN'T PHOTOGRAPH EVERY THING. THEY WENT INTO THE ST JOSEPH MUSEUM IN 1946 AFTER THEY WERE PURCHASED FROM THE FAMILY FOR $10,000.