Sun Dogs and Eagle Down: The Indian Paintings of Bill Holm

Peter Harmathy teaches fine arts in Victoria, B.C.

Bill Holm, curator emeritus of Native American art at the Burke Museum,
professor emeritus of art history at the University of Washington, and
author of numerous books and articles, is also an accomplished painter
in the realistic tradition of American representational painting. His
art emphasizes coastal Native tribes, but also includes depictions of
Plains Indians, their costumes, and fateful interactions with
non-Natives. Holm draws on his ethnographic expertise to re-create the
historical and physical setting, costume, and custom of Native American
culture. It is the ethnographic detail in his art that makes him stand
out from the rest. In a Bill Holm painting, we can trust that we are
looking at an accurate portrayal of Native life, rather than a
romanticized one.

That Holm’s artwork is ethnographically accurate is attested to by
the rich background provided in the caption for each color plate. This
information is further complemented by Steven Brown’s text, which
expands on the historical/cultural information, providing a broad scope
of research and experience from which the process of the artist is well
understood.

Brown has authored and coauthored two other books on Native art. This
beautiful book offers us a rare insight into Native American history.