Nesjaja Hatali Medicine Man of the Navajo People is a painting by Steve Henderson which was uploaded on March 7th, 2018.
Nesjaja Hatali Medicine Man of the Navajo People
Nesjaja Hatali was a medicine man of the Navajo people in the late 19th century. The painting interpretation by Steve Henderson of Nesjaja Hatali is... more
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Price
$1,400
Dimensions
12.000 x 16.000 inches
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Title
Nesjaja Hatali Medicine Man of the Navajo People
Artist
Steve Henderson
Medium
Painting - Oil On Panel
Description
Nesjaja Hatali was a medicine man of the Navajo people in the late 19th century. The painting interpretation by Steve Henderson of Nesjaja Hatali is based upon the photograph taken by Edward S. Curtis, the archives of which are in The North American Indian Collection housed at Northwestern University Library.
Curtis’s task was a monumental one – documenting what remained of traditional First People culture a full generation after the official end of 19th century brutal conflict between the U.S. Government and the Native American people. The advent of photography allowed Curtis to visually capture a time and place, a people and an historical lifestyle, which is no more.
Steve’s painting interpretation of Curtis’s sepia-toned photograph adds color to Nesjaja’s skin, clothing, and jewelry, with an emphasis upon the rich tones of the turquoise and silver necklaces, set against the deep brown of Nesjaja Hatali’s skin.
This is a man who has lived much outdoors, with the weathering of the skin evident. There is a strong set to the jaw, a strength to the structure of the face, that causes the viewer to pause in silence and respect. Looking away from the camera, Nesjaja Hatali appears to be in deep thought, in a state of quiet reflection that implies a sense of wisdom.
Not all Native Americans were wise, in the same way that not all non-Native Americans are wise, or savvy, or foolish, or whatever stereotypes we create to fit our interpretation of the world. But the face of Nesjaja Hatali would arrest the sight of anyone today, because it is a face of repose and thought, one in which the person’s thoughts are deep within that person himself.
There are people like this today – few, but existent – and the artwork Nesjaja Hatali reminds us of the beauty and nobility of the human form and face. Beauty is not in Hollywood glitiz – it is in the faces of those who have lived through much, and learned even more.
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Featured Artist of the Week in the Fine Art America group, Our World Gallery -- July 2018
Uploaded
March 7th, 2018
More from Steve Henderson
Comments (103)
Jeff Burgess
Your wonderful art has been featured in the PNA. For “permanence” please place in the Discussion section: “Featured 2023”.
Morris Finkelstein
Stunning portrait painting of a Navajo medicine man, Steve! Congratulations on your painting being selected by Randy for a "Best of the Best" Special Feature in the Wisconsin Flowers and Scenery group! F/L
Donna Kennedy
Congratulations on your Best of the Best homepage feature in Wisconsin Flowers and Scenery!...L
Jennifer Jenson
Incredible artwork, Steve! Congratulations on your Best Of The Best feature in the WFS Group!
Randy Rosenberger
Dear Wisconsin Flowers and Scenery Group Member, You are to be congratulated on your achievement of getting your beautiful piece of artwork chosen to be featured in our “Best of the Best” section of our homepage. This is truly an honor to be selected for this special feature. If your works are featured, it is always an honor, but this honor is above and beyond what one sees most of the time. It is excellently done and presented and deserves a special place on our homepage. Happy sales to you till we meet again.
Lori Pittenger
Congratulations, your outstanding artwork has been featured on the leading page of Impressionism group 4/22/2023! Please visit the group to view it in our online gallery and to add it to the New features log and catalogs in the group’s discussions. Excellent work!
Lyric Lucas
Oops, Congratulations, your creative and unique art work is Featured on the homepage of the "Out Of The Ordinary 1 A Day" group! l/f/pin 4/21/23
Lyric Lucas
Congratulations, your beautiful artistic work is Featured on the home page of the "Bedroom Art Gallery" group. l/f/pin 4/21/23
Taphath Foose
Beautiful work, Steve!!! CONGRATULATIONS, your work is featured in "For the ART of It"!! I invite you to place it in the group's "Featured Image Archive" discussion thread and any other thread that is fitting!! 😊
Taphath Foose
CONGRATULATIONS as your work has been featured in "Painted People"! I invite you to place it in the group's "Featured Image Archive" discussion thread and any other thread that is fitting!! 😊
Taphath Foose
Beautiful work, Steve!!! CONGRATULATIONS, your work is featured in "Your Best Work"! I invite you to place it in the group's "Featured Image Archive" discussion thread and any other thread that is fitting!! 😊
Jim Cook
Revisit to post to FB, Tw & Pinterest. Congratulations on the 3rd place finish in Realistic Portraits contest.
Taphath Foose
CONGRATULATIONS on your THIRD PLACE win in the Realistic Portraits contest!!! AMAZING portrait, Steve!!!! :)
Roselynne Broussard
Love this, Steve ~ my heart always goes out to these beautiful people:)))
Steve Henderson replied:
I am gratified, Roselynne, that this artwork connected with your heart and soul.
RITA FRANCO
This & the other Native American paintings are masterpieces and your description of this man, his life & what he stood for is equally profound. Thank you for sharing your thoughts & your art, Rita
Steve Henderson replied:
Thank you, Rita, for your thought-filled words and for taking the time to read the description (By the way, these wonderful descriptive essays on art and life that accompany each artwork are written by my wife and business partner, Carolyn.)
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