Antique Native American Indian Painting Stephen MOPOPE

Antique Native American Indian Painting Stephen MOPOPE This auction is for an original watercolor by famous Native American Stephen (Qued Koi) Mopope (1898-1974).  Signed Mopope.  Also titled in pencil "Kiowa Indian Warrior on horseback (org. watercolor by Indian)".  Mopope was quite a famous Indian artist and part of the Kiowa Five.  It appears to be housed in it's original frame.  The colors are beautiful and unfaded on the watercolor itself.  The Indian Warrior has a bow and arrow on back, big knife on side, and holds a nice shield.  The colors are much more vibrant in person.  His arm cuffs are a silver, almost metallic color.  Nice bright colors.  There is some minor staining at top as seen.  Originally purchased 28 years ago from an old woman who said it belonged to her family that hailed from Oklahoma.  Mopope's talents allowed him to study at the University of Oklahoma.  This is a early 20th Century original painting by Mopope. I believe it may be an original gouache type painting, which is a painting with opaque watercolors mixed with a preparation of gum.  The frame does show some wear as seen.  The watercolor itself measures about 11 by 14 inches.  Overall measurements with frame are about 18 by 21 inches.  This is an original museum quality piece offered with no reserve.  Guaranteed Authentic.   COMBINE SHIPPING AND SAVE. Each ADDITIONAL cdv, tintype, or cabinet card is FREE SHIPPING WITHIN USA.  Outside the US, one shipping charge for first one and the additional ones are shipped for 10 cents each.  Please Email for quote. INSURANCE INCLUDED for items over $20. Guaranteed original.  3-day return policy.  ITEMS PROPERLY PACKAGED.  More questions or pictures?  Please email me. Thanks and please check out my other auctions that aren't seen in auctiva showcase.    Certain images and/or photos used in this template are the copyrighted property of JupiterImages and are being used with permission under license.

According to another ebayer, this is his opinion on the Mopope:

It is most likely a pochoir print and is still considered very valuable and rare.

 I appreciate your taking the time to respond. I wouldn't call me an expert, but I do have an extensive Native American Painting Collection (700+ pieces) and am knowledgeable to a degree! :-)

The Kiowa Indian Art portfolio was produced in 1929 by C. Szwedicki in Nice,  France. The French, in particular, were experts in the pochoir process. As you stated, it does involve stencils, and each was HANDPAINTED with watercolor. Therefore,  technically, these are handpainted pieces and no two are exactly alike.  The 1979 editions used the silkscreen process, more readily detected as it is machine applied, and the paint has a uniformity to it not achieved by the handpainted method. It is difficult to distinguish from an original, because it is handpainted.

The Smithsonian has 24 of the 1929 prints.  Each of these are indeed numbered as you stated in the far upper right corner. The Smithsonian also states the the original 1929 text,  the original 30 pieces of art and covers  whereabouts are not known and haven't surfaced in 80 years. They do have documentation from 1970 which indicated the color plates (the original pochoirs) were hanging in the office of the Chairmen of the Department of Anthropology, having previously been displayed at the Director of the Bureau of American Ethnology. Other than that 1970 note, these color plates have also disappeared. They also had contacted Oscar Jacobsen who had no knowledge as to what happened to the original art. That none of the 30 pieces have been seen in 80 years would indicate that they are lost to us.

You are correct, there had to be an original at some point. The Hood Museum of Art actually has all 30 of the 1929 pochoirs. From them, it can be ascertained that the original dimensions of these pieces were 14 5/16" x 11 9/6" (although some of them are actually 15"). What has happened over the last 80 years is that people have been known to trim them so the print number in the upper right hand corner no longer exists...which may be the case with the one you're offering, as its dimensions are almost an inch shorter on both sides...enough to have the print number removed.

What is definitely certain.....this IS one of the 30 pieces in the original portfolio of 1929. You can see the exact same piece on the website I listed. If, by some stroke of luck you have the original, it would be priceless...as  none of the originals are known to exist.

But, here is why I don't think it is an original. I've been fortunate to see a fair number of Mopopes in my day, and have the good fortune of having two in my collection. Just 3 weeks ago at Adobe Gallery in Santa Fe, they had 2 Mopopes that had just arrived and I got to hold them (unframed) in my hands...quite a thrill. The details are where most experts would probably point to to show that it is a pochoir and not the original. If you look closely, there are many areas of the piece where the paint (which is applied in layers with a stencil, which requires perfect alignment) does not line up (the foot being a perfect example), or areas where the paint doesn't fully meet. This is a result of the stencils being off ever so slightly. Mopope himself  would not have been so careless in an original piece of work. He is known for his precise linework and attention to detail, and this is evident in every Mopope painting I have seen in person.

Over the years, (and I watch ebay everyday), there have been dozen and dozens of these pochoir prints offered as originals. The majority of them do not have the print number anymore (sometimes they do, and they're still offered as originals). Most of these are the 1979 edition. The 1929 ones are more rare, but they can be had today at many a gallery (check the Adobe Gallery site, they have a number of them from the Kiowa and the Pueblo portfolios).

So, for these reasons, it is unlikely this is the original painting. If it was, it would be the only one in existence, and invaluable. But I do believe it is from the 1929 edition....and these reside in museums (like the Smithsonian), and it certainly has value.

CONSIGNOR HAS DECIDED TO KEEP IT AT THIS TIME.  IT MAY BE LISTED WITH A BUY-IT-NOW FEATURE SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE.