Buffalo Horns (Portrait of a Native American Man)
Original colored etching / intaglio print on heavyweight paper • J. Reynolds (identified by pencil signature in the lower right margin)
Style & Movement
Contemporary Western Art / Native American Realism
Medium & Technique
Intaglio etching with hand-coloring or multiple-plate color registration; features fine-line needlework, plate embossing (platemark), and colored inks in earth tones and turquoise.
Creation Period
Late 20th Century (circa 1970s–1980s)
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 12 x 18 inches (plate size), vertical portrait format with visible indented platemark.
Subject Description
A portrait of an elderly Native American man, likely of the Plains tribes, wearing a ceremonial buffalo horn headdress. The composition focuses on the weathered textures of the man's face, symbolizing wisdom and survival, contrasted with the soft treatment of the fur and a simple blue bead necklace. The high-contrast dark hair strands create a strong vertical anchor for the floating bust.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good; the print is well-preserved within the plate area, though there is visible surface soiling and spotting in the lower margin and slight waving of the paper.
Estimated Market Value
$200 - $450 USD
Auction Estimate
$150 - $300 USD
Provenance History
Unknown gallery or private acquisition; numbered 1/200 in pencil (lower left) indicating this is the first pull of a limited edition.
Art Historical Significance
A representative example of late 20th-century Western American art that sought to document and honor Indigenous heritage through a romanticized realist lens. While the artist is a regional contemporary figure, the work contributes to the tradition of ethnographic portraiture popularized by Edward Curtis and later Western printmakers.
Notable Features
Distinguished as the '1/200' print, the first number in the edition, which is often more desirable to collectors. The use of turquoise ink for the necklace provides a sharp focal point against the sepia and terracotta tones.
Condition Issues
Visible foxing/spotting in the bottom right and left margins; possible light tanning (acidification) from historical framing; minor creasing in the paper corners.
Conservation Recommendations
Professional surface cleaning to remove margin spots; remounting using acid-free, archival matting; and protection behind UV-filtering glass to prevent fading of the colored inks.