Fritz Scholder (Arizona / New Mexico, 1937-2005), "Old Queen", 2003, oil on canvas; includes three reference books about Fritz Scholder, including "Fritz Scholder: Indian Not Indian", signed with a sketch by the artist

sight: 12 x 9 in., frame: 16 x 13 in.

Provenance: Purchased from the Chiaroscuro Contemporary Art Gallery (Santa Fe, New Mexico) in 2003; thence property in a New Braunfels, Texas collection

Fritz Scholder, born in Breckenridge, Minnesota, was a prominent Arizona-based artist known for his powerful Indian portraits and genre paintings that explored both appreciation and critique of Native American life. He studied at the University of Kansas, Wisconsin State University, Sacramento College under Wayne Thiebaud, and earned his MFA from the University of Arizona. Scholder’s work, influenced by Francis Bacon, is marked by swift brushwork, surreal tones, and ironic distortions, often depicting the harsh realities and dark humor of Native American experiences. Beyond painting, his diverse art included etchings, lithographs, and sculpture. Scholder’s deeply autobiographical and intellectually curious approach to themes of death and identity made him a significant figure in contemporary Native American art until his death in 2005.