Kirby Sattler (American, b. 1950). "The Messenger" - Artist Proof - Signed & numbered 8/8 on lower right. Giclee on canvas. A realistic depiction of a Native American chief or Medicine Man wearing a crow headdress and fur cloak with white body paint adorning his chest that is "based upon the nomadic tribes of the 19th century American Plains" (his words). This is not a portrait of a specific individual, but rather a subject rooted in Sattler's visual references and imagination. Interestingly, this image is thought to be the inspiration for the character Tonto, played by actor Johnny Depp in 2013 remake of the "The Lone Ranger" film. Size: 34" L x 30" W (86.4 cm x 76.2 cm)
According to the artist, "My work is fueled by an inherent interest in the Indigenous Peoples of the Earth. The current images evolve from the history, ceremony, mythology, and spirituality of the Native American. The ultra-detailed interpretations examine the inseparable relationship between the Indian and his natural world, reflecting a culture that had no hard line between the sacred and the mundane. Each painting functions on the premise that all natural phenomena have souls independent of their physical beings. Under such a belief, the wearing of sacred objects were a source of spiritual power. Any object- a stone, a plait of sweet grass, a part of an animal, the wing of a bird- could contain the essence of the metaphysical qualities identified to the objects and desired by the Native American. This acquisition of "Medicine", or spiritual power, was central to the lives of the Indian. It provided the conduit to the unseen forces of the universe which predominated their lives.
I attempt to give the viewer of my work a sense of what these sacred objects meant to the wearer; when combined with the proper ritual or prayer there would be a transference of identity. More than just aesthetic adornment, it was an outward manifestation of their identity and their inter-relatedness with their natural and spiritual world."
Accompanied by written correspondence from 2013 in which Kirby Sattler confirms that this is an Artist Proof for his "The Messenger" and that the value is $1800.
Provenance: private Boulder, Colorado, USA collection; accompanied by written correspondence from November 12, 2013 in which Kirby Sattler confirms that this is an Artist Proof for his "The Messenger" and that the value is $1800.
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#146535
Condition
Some puckers to the peripheries and a few to the interior of the composition as shown. Slight crazing and age wear, but overall the imagery is quite vivid.