Louis Shipshee (Native American Potawatomi, 1896-1975). "Buffalo Kill" oil on canvas, ca. 1930s to 1950s. Signed and titled "Buffalo Kill / By L. ShipShee" on the lower right. A remarkable landscape painting by Potawatomi artist Louis ShipShee, depicting a buffalo hunt on the Kansas plains. Two indigenous men on horseback, one wielding a spear and the other striking with a bow and arrow, are dramatically closing in on their target. ShipShee was a self-taught artist who went on to teach art as well as interior decorating at Haskell Indian Junior College in Lawrence, Kansas. In addition, he served in the U.S. Army during World War I while stationed in Siberia. Interestingly, ShipShee also collected Native American artifacts, sometimes actually trading his own paintings in order to acquire special pieces, as he was immensely proud of his heritage. An outstanding painting by ShipShee, set in a beautiful wooden frame with a natural finish that complements the composition perfectly. Size of painting: 23.5" L x 17.625" W (59.7 cm x 44.8 cm) Size of frame: 31.875" L x 25.875" W (81 cm x 65.7 cm)
According to the Kansas Historical Society, "Louis ShipShee was born on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Reservation near Mayetta, Kansas, in 1896. A self-taught artist, he became well-known among collectors of Native American art for his portraits of noted figures, past and present. His most famous works were of Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce and Chief Red Cloud of the Oglala Sioux, both done on sheepskin. ShipShee also painted works on deer and elk skins as well as velvet and canvas. He preferred to paint portraits, but ShipShee also produced a number of landscapes. These often included buffalo."
Provenance: private Colorado Collection; Private Collection of a Private Colorado Family
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#166596
Condition
Painting is in very nice condition save a few scuffs/scratches. It is signed and titled "Buffalo Kill / By L. ShipShee" on the lower right. Frame has age cracks and knotholes commensurate with its natural state; the frame is quite striking and complements the painting beautifully.