Lot Essay
Relatively unknown in Duveneck's oeuvre, his images of Indians comprise a small group of oil sketches executed around the turn of the century. His interest in this subject matter most likely results from his lifelong friendships with two other promiment Cincinnati painters who specialized in Western subject matter--Joseph Henry Sharp and Henry F. Farny.
Among Farny's favorite Indian subjects in the 1890s and early 1900s was "Joe" Ogalalla Fire, who bears resemblance to the model in Duveneck's Indian Head. Ogalalla Fire also served as a janitor at the Cincinnati Art Club, where both Farny and Duveneck were members, thus it is not unlikely that Duveneck encountered the model there and was taken with his striking appearance.
In Frank Duveneck: Painter-Teacher, F.W. Duveneck wrote, "Duveneck painted three oil skethes of Indians which must have been inspired by models obtained by Farny at this period. There are no instances of Duveneck having other association with Indian people, although Rolshoven who discovered the Southwest about 1910 tried his best to persuade the "Old Man" (i.e. Duveneck) to join him there." (p. 57)
Among Farny's favorite Indian subjects in the 1890s and early 1900s was "Joe" Ogalalla Fire, who bears resemblance to the model in Duveneck's Indian Head. Ogalalla Fire also served as a janitor at the Cincinnati Art Club, where both Farny and Duveneck were members, thus it is not unlikely that Duveneck encountered the model there and was taken with his striking appearance.
In Frank Duveneck: Painter-Teacher, F.W. Duveneck wrote, "Duveneck painted three oil skethes of Indians which must have been inspired by models obtained by Farny at this period. There are no instances of Duveneck having other association with Indian people, although Rolshoven who discovered the Southwest about 1910 tried his best to persuade the "Old Man" (i.e. Duveneck) to join him there." (p. 57)