Indian and Contemporary Chair
Social Media Share Tools
Object Details
- Artist
- Fritz Scholder, born Breckenridge, MN 1937-died Phoenix, AZ 2005
- Exhibition Label
- Throughout his life, Fritz Scholder struggled with his dual identity as a Native American and white man. He rejected the label of "American Indian artist" and instead found his inspiration in mid-twentieth century artists such as Wayne Thiebaud. Later in his career, Scholder began creating images of Indigenous people in direct response to what he perceived as the "over-romanticized paintings of the 'noble savage.'" In the past, white artists have often depicted Indigenous subjects in natural settings, grounding their identity within the landscape. In Indian and Contemporary Chair, Scholder's choice to place his subject indoors, in a mid-century modern chair, undercuts stereotypes that confine Native people to nostalgic landscapes, and points to the complexities of living in a modern world.
- Many Wests: Artists Shape an American Idea, 2023
- A lo largo de su vida, Fritz Scholder luchó con su doble identidad como indígena estadounidense y hombre blanco. Rechazó la etiqueta de "artista indio estadounidense", para encontrar su inspiración en artistas de mediados del siglo XX, como Wayne Thiebaud. Más adelante en su carrera, Scholder empezó a crear imágenes de personas indígenas en respuesta directa a lo que él percibía como las "pinturas excesivamente romantizadas del 'buen salvaje'". En el pasado, los artistas blancos solían representar a las personas indígenas en entornos naturales y fundamentaban su identidad en el paisaje. En su obra Silla india y contemporánea, la decisión de Scholder de situar a su sujeto en el interior, sentado en una silla moderna de mediados de siglo, socava los estereotipos que confinan a los indígenas a paisajes nostálgicos, mientras señala las complejidades de vivir en un mundo moderno.
- Más de un oeste: Visiones artísticas de una idea estadounidense, 2023
- Credit Line
- Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Judge and Mrs. Oliver Seth
- Copyright
- © 1983, Fritz Scholder
- 1970
- Object number
- 1983.111
- Restrictions & Rights
- Usage conditions apply
- Type
- Painting
- Medium
- oil on linen
- Dimensions
- 60 x 47 in. (152.4 x 119.4 cm.)
- See more items in
- Smithsonian American Art Museum Collection
- Department
- Painting and Sculpture
- Smithsonian American Art Museum
- Topic
- Figure male
- Figure
- Animal\dog
- Indian
- Dress\Indian dress
- Object\furniture\chair
- Record ID
- saam_1983.111
- Metadata Usage (text)
- Not determined
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/vk7c37839de-70cc-40c1-b8e5-aaf38d5e4820
Related Content
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.