Native Artwork

Native American paintings capture images both historic and modern related to the indigenous peoples of the Americas. Almost all well-known tribes are represented in this collection. Some artists have elected to illustrate traditional crafts while others prefer human portraiture. Abstraction has always been an element of Native American art even before Europeans were experimenting with the technique. You’ll find a favorite among our unique Native American pieces.

The robust and often-colorful traditional art of the many Native American tribes from across North America are known to have contributed greatly to some aspects of American culture.

While the untrained mind might view Native American art as being limited to mere pottery, feathers and rock walls, the truth about modern art from various Native and First Nations people is that their works are truly unique in both perspective and subject matter.

Many Native Americans have had to deal with various cultural hardships throughout American history as they were confined to reservations for many decades which essentially caused them to be shut off from the rest of the world.

When observing artwork from some of the most notable Native American artists from the modern era, it becomes clear that art is intrinsic to the existence of Native people.

The nature and elements of Native American art

The role of the artist

The very use of the word art suggests one of the basic differences between European or European-derived and American Indian concepts. For not only did few American Indian groups allow art to become a major way of life, as in the West, but many Native American languages even lack a term meaning “art” or “artist.” If one wished to refer to a beautiful basket or a well-carved sculpture, it was usually necessary to rely upon such terms as “well-done,” “effective,” or perhaps “powerful” (in the magical sense). And the concept of an artist was largely of a person who was simply better at the job than was another. Generally, artists were accorded special significance only where wealth was a major factor in the culture. The elite of many cultures, whether wealthy in their own right or (more commonly) by having attained a high religious office, supported groups of artists who produced memorial and religious art.