American artist Walter Ufer’s first encounter with Taos, New Mexico was in 1914 when his patron, Oscar Mayer, the meat-packing tycoon, sent him on a painting trip. The Taos people in the Taos Pueblo community in northern New Mexico, were his primary subjects and he saw them as having been oppressed for centuries, forced to sacrifice their cultural and ethnic identity.
He suggested that, “The 'Indian' has lost his race pride; he wants only to be an American.” He brought his sensitivity to the plight of the indigenous peoples to his portraits such as this captivating painting of a young woman with flowing straight dark hair including long bangs and a warm skin tone. Each strand of dark hair is meticulously rendered with a slight shine and texture, showcasing Ufer's attention to detail. She is gazing slightly off to her side at us with an awareness of our interruption.
She is wearing a white top with a hint of a pink undershirt and a dark shawl draped over her shoulders. Her engaging eyes reveal a warmth and intensity, hinting at a depth of experience. The clothing might be traditional attire, but appears almost modern within our current fashion trends.
The background consists of vibrant greenery with large, leafy plants dominating the right side of the painting and glimpses of blue sky and white cloud plus other foliage peeking through. The painting utilizes a rich and diverse color palette of warm brown and peach tones for the woman's skin, contrasting with whites, pinks, and blacks for her clothing/hair, while greens, blues, and whites in varying shades depict the foliage and sky.
Ufer was born in Germany and moved with his family to Louisville, Kentucky in 1880, where he grew up. He later returned to Germany for training before returning to the United States and becoming one of the "Taos Ten" in the Taos Society of Artists. He was also widely known for his social activism in addition to his artistic skill ... before dying suddenly from appendicitis in 1936.
"Pab Shlee" by Walter Ufer (American) - Oil on canvas / c. 1920-1930 - Reading Public Museum (Pennsylvania) #womeninart #art #oilpainting #WalterUfer #Ufer #artwork #womensart #portraitofawoman #ReadingPublicMuseum #AmericanArt #AmericanArtist #indigenous #NativeAmerican #beauty #Taos #artoftheday