Navajo Sandpainting

Item Details

A Navajo sandpainting by Navajo artist Gloria Thompson. The work features a dancing clown, who is part of the ‘nine day ceremony to the heal the paralysis patient’. Navajo Sandpaintings, also called dry paintings, are called ‘places where the gods come and go’ in the Navajo language. They are used in curing ceremonies in which the gods’ help is requested for harvests and healing. The figures in sand paintings are symbolic representations of a story in Navajo mythology. They depict objects like the sacred mountains where the gods live, or legendary visions, or they illustrate dances or chants performed in rituals.

Condition

small chip to lower right corner

Dimensions

Item #

14CIN346-206