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Rick Stewart wrote, “LaVerne Nelson Black was a latecomer to the Southwest but he produced many excellent paintings of his adopted region. He had spent his childhood in the Kickapoo River Valley area of Wisconsin, an area that possessed a strong Indian heritage. As the story goes, Black made his earliest drawings using earth and vegetable colors, including the soft red stone native to the area which the Indians used for ceremonial purposes. In 1906, Black enrolled in classes at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts before pursuing a career as a newspaper artist in Chicago, Minneapolis and New York. While in New York he executed some work on commission, and it is likely that he received some further instruction in the fine arts. Black suffered from ill health and was forced to move with his family to a warmer, drier climate. In the middle 1920s he settled in Taos and was immediately drawn to the picturesque subject matter of the region. He painted many works depicting the Indians and their architecture against the backdrop of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.”

Condition ReportSurface condition is excellent. Painting has been lined. Multiple spots of inpainting throughout painting in sky; mountain; center; lower-left corner; horse's nose; and lower-right quadrant.

Important Notice: Statements of condition are provided as a service to potential bidders; such statements are educated opinions and should not be regarded as facts. The Coeur d’Alene Art Auction has no responsibility for any errors or omissions.