The Importance Of Native American Oil Paintings NM

By Michael Butler


One of the most widely studied cultures around the globe, the Native Americans have a cultural history that can be traced back for centuries. One of the most important aspects of their history is their art and sculpture was one of their favorite expressions of it. Native American oil paintings NM are still commonly found by archeologists.

Although there are a wide variety of different sculptures the most common are known as Fetishes. They were miniaturized carvings of animals that were believed to contain the essence of the being that it was carved to look like. Common animals that were chosen for these carvings include eagles, rabbits, wild horses, or bears. These small statues were highly revered by the Native American people. As a result, great care was taken when making and decorating them.

These small animals were sculpted with the idea that they needed to b attractive while still serving a purpose to the person who carried them. The sculptures would be meticulously decorated with small stones, feathers, shells, and anything from nature that was beautiful. However, some Fetish sculptures were more highly decorated than others. These sculptures would be adorned in precious metals or even gemstones that the artist would specially choose.

Continuing the tradition of using what was available to them, the artists who carved these little sculptures would use the stone around them. There are many examples of Fetish sculptures that have been carved from the soapstone or turquoise. The experts consider Fetish sculptures carved from marble to be the most difficult to find. This could be because marble at the time was a scarce and expensive commodity.

It is believed that among all of the Native tribes the Zuni tribe were responsible for some of the most significant Fetish carvings. This was a tribe who believed that each sculpture was an animal who had been transformed into stone by the god of the sun. This indicates that this tribe found real value in their art. For them, each Fetish sculpture was a link between the physical and spirit world.

Another fact that set these Zuni carvings apart from others was their belief that four different animals each represented a different direction. When an individual carried a carving of one of these animals they would be empowered by the characteristics of that animal. Some sculptures were a representation of health and others would keep you safe on a long journey. North, East, South, and West were each respectively represented by the mountain lion, wolf, badger, and the bear.

The American culture is also well known for their wide variety of sculptures. They would take fallen logs and sculpt totem poles from their wood. Each totem pole served as a welcome sign for guests and would offer an important visual representation of the families or villages status and ties. Also common were busts sculpted from clay or carved from wood. These busts would represent important figures in Native American history.

The history of the Native tribes is varied and their sculptures add to the diversity. Their sculptures are key to their identity as they are the link between man and the spirit world while being aesthetically pleasing.




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