Klah Tso facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Klah Tso
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|
|---|---|
| Born |
Tłʼatsoh
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| Died | |
| Nationality | Navajo Nation |
| Education | Self-taught |
| Known for | Painting |
| Patron(s) | Matthew Murphy |
Klah Tso (also known as Tłʼatsoh in the Navajo language) was an important Navajo painter. He lived in the mid-1800s to early 1900s. Klah Tso is known as one of the first Navajo artists to paint on easels.
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Who Was Klah Tso?
Klah Tso had several other names. People also called him Big Lefthanded or Old Hostin Claw. It is important not to confuse him with other artists. He was different from Hastiin Klah, who was a Navajo weaver. He was also not Choh, another Navajo graphic artist.
Klah Tso lived in Arizona, near places like Tuba City, Arizona or Indian Wells, Arizona. Besides being a painter, he was also a traditional singer.
Klah Tso's Amazing Artwork
Klah Tso created many beautiful paintings between about 1902 and 1915. He often painted scenes with horses and important Navajo ceremonies.
Early Painting Styles
At first, Klah Tso used natural pigments for his art. He would apply these colors with a stick. He made special drypaintings, which are like sand paintings but use dry pigments. A man named Matthew M. Murphy collected 29 of these drypaintings. They were likely made between 1905 and 1912.
Trying New Materials
Klah Tso also started using Western art supplies. He painted with oil paints, gouache, and tempera. He even used colored pencils. He created pictures that told stories. Many of these were painted on brown cotton cloth.
Where to See His Art
Some of Klah Tso's paintings are in big collections. The National Anthropological Archives has several of his works. One famous painting is called The Ride. It shows Navajo riders following a man with a special staff. The horses look like they are kicking up dust.
While some of his art showed everyday life, many paintings were about Navajo ceremonies. A writer named Jeanne O. Snodgrass said he made "one of the loveliest known early American Indian paintings." You can also see his work at the Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff, Arizona.
See also
