Navajo Folk Artist Harold Willeto, Carved Painted Female Yei Figure, 1992

Description

Carved and painted pine or cottonwood female figure by well known  Navajo artist Harold Willeto.  Wonderful, simple image of a spiritual Yei woman with an eagle for strength and power on her head her hands in the air, a Navajo necklace around her neck, and most importantly a spider on her face, probably noting her to be “spider woman”, a spirit relating to weaving in Navajo culture.
Harold is one of two surviving children of famous Navajo artist Charlie Willeto who was the first among the tribe to carve wood into folk art pieces, and to start the folk art style seen and collected today. Harold followed in his father’s footsteps, but refining Charlie’s style into his own, more unique pieces, “meant to portray the strength and ongoing dependability of Navajo ceremonialism and culture”.
12 1/2” x 5 1/2” x 1 1/2”; Excellent Condition; Signed: HW 92 on bottom of one foot. More information on the Willeto family, with images of their work, in the book “Navajo Folk Art, the People Speak”, by Chuck and Jan Rosenak.
_gsrx_vers_795 (GS 7.0.7 (795))