Spirit of the Wise Man - Shoshone painting

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More about Spirit of the Wise Man

Spirit of the Wise Man features an elderly Shoshone man in a buffalo robe. The painting has an abstract background—made with a palette knife—to act as a contrast to the central figure to make the man stand out more. I enjoy painting abstraction elements like this.

The power of this image is in its simplicity of composition: The central figure is the only thing featured. The focal point is the man’s face with his top hat. Notice the power in the man’s face and hand. (This particular model has such striking features that I can’t help but make them prominent.)

He wears a traditional buffalo robe, an important icon among the Shoshone, as every part of the buffalo is considered sacred. The man’s shirt peeks through a small area in the robe, adding another layer of interest.