Western art is a category that is so vast that it can include large portions of American art, including Native American art from all around the country, especially the Southwest. This year’s Scottsdale Art Auction will highlight more than a dozen works from Indigenous artists, including several of the top creators of the 20th century. The sale will take place April 11 and 12 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Fritz Scholder (La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians), Indians and Persian Rug, acrylic, 30 x 40" Estimate: $100/150,000

 

Artists include Fritz Scholder, Allan Houser and Earl Biss, all three of which have seen high demand at auctions around the country in recent years. “We have really strong works from Native American artists this year,” says auction partner Brad Richardson. “What’s remarkable is how comfortable these artists were when it came to what we now call their contemporary art style. They were on the cutting edge when they were making these pieces, and these works are still on the cutting edge today. It’s exciting to see how the Western art market has broadened to include these important artists.”

Allan Houser (Chiricahua Apache), Smoke Signal, bronze, 54" Estimate: $55/85,000

 

The Scholder paintings should be especially exciting for bidders. The artist has performed remarkably well at auction, with prices easily slipping past $100,000 and beyond. Scottsdale Art Auction will be offering two works: Indians and Persian Rug (est. $100/150,000) and Buffalo Back (est. $80/120,000). Both works exemplify Scholder’s incredibly modern painting style, which favored large fields of color, bold forms and abstracted figures. The artist’s works were rarely included within the canon of modern art, and yet today his work has seen more appreciation and scholarship from experts and curators who acknowledge his important role in American art.

Another iconic Native American figure is Houser, the Chiricahua Apache artist who started in paintings and transitioned into sculpture. The sale will be offering Smoke Signal (est. $55/85,000), which was Houser’s main piece for the 1993 Prix de West exhibition in Oklahoma. The bronze would win the top award, the museum purchase prize. It was the first time a Native American artist won the award.

Earl Biss (Apsáalooke/Crow), High Mountain Camp, oil, 50 x 60" Estimate: $35/55,000

 

Fritz Scholder (La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians), Buffalo Back, acrylic, 30 x 40" Estimate: $80/120,000

 

Biss is represented in the sale with High Mountain Camp, estimated at $35,000 to $55,000. The Crow artist studied under Scholder, Charles Loloma and Houser. Biss died at the age of 51, cutting short an exciting career that was still ascending in the art world. Today his works are known for their bright colors, loose brushwork and ethereal settings on the plains.

Another artist represented in the sale is Kevin Red Star, whose works veer into the abstract and modern. —

April 11-12, 2025
Scottsdale Art Auction
7176 Main Street, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
(480) 945-0225, www.scottsdaleartauction.com

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