Monroe Tsatoke

Monroe Tsatoke (1904–1937) was a Kiowa painter, one of the Kiowa Five, from Oklahoma.^[1]

Early life

Monroe Tsatoke was born on 29 September 1904 in Oklahoma Territory, near present day Saddle Mountain, Oklahoma. Tsatokee was his Kiowa name, which meant "Hunting Horse." His father was also named Tsatokee, and was a Kiowa scout. His grandmother was a European-American captive.^[2]

Tsatoke never received art instruction until Susan Peters, the Kiowa agency field matron arranged for Mrs. Willie Baze Lane, an artist from Chickasha, Oklahoma to teach painting classes for young Kiowas in Anadarko. Recognizing the talent of some of the young artists, Peters convinced Swedish-American artist, Oscar Jacobson, director of the University of Oklahoma's School of Art to accept the Kiowa students into a special program at the school.^[3]

Kiowa Five

The Kiowa Five included six artists: Spencer Asah, James Auchiah, Jack Hokeah, Stephen Mopope, Lois Smoky, and Monroe Tsatoke. James Auchiah was the last to join the group at OU in 1926.^[3]

The Kiowa Fives' first major breakthrough into international fine arts' world was the 1928 First International Art Exposition in Prague, Czechoslovakia. Dr. Jacobson arranged for their work to be shown in several other countries and for Kiowa Art, a portfolio of pochoir prints artists' paintings to be published in France.^[3]

Individual pursuits

Tsatoke took additional art classes at Bacone College and worked at Indian City USA in Anadarko as a guide.^[2]

In 1924, Tsatoke married Martha Kooma. Together they four children; Jewell, Lee Monette, Ross Maker, and John Thomas. Lee Tsatoke also became a respected Kiowa artist.^[1] Monroe and Martha lived in Red Rock, Oklahoma. Besides painting, Tsatoke also farmed, sang at Kiowa ceremonials, and was a fancy war dancer.^[2]

He was diagnosed with tuberculosis and joined the Native American Church. He painted about his religious experiences and is credited with creating stylized representations of symbols associated with Church, such as the water birds and feathers.^[4]

Public collections

Tsatoke's work can be found in the following public art collections:

• Anadarko City Museum
• Cleveland Museum of Art
• Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art
• The George Gustav Heye Center
• Gilcrease Museum
• Museum of the Great Plains
• Heard Museum
• Indian Arts and Crafts Board, US Department of the Interior
• Joslyn Art Museum
• McNay Art Museum
• Museum of Northern Arizona, Katherine Harvey Collection
• Museum of New Mexico
• Millicent Rogers Museum
• Oklahoma Historical Society
• Oklahoma Museum of Natural History
• Philbrook Museum of Art
• Seminole Public Library
• Woolaroc Museum^[5]

Death

In 1934, the Oklahoma Historical Society commissioned him to paint several murals. Although he was sick with tuberculosis, he worked on the murals until his death.^[6] Tsatoke died on 3 February 1937 from tuberculosis, at the age of 32 years old.^[1]

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b c} Watson, Mary Jo. Tsatoke, Monroe (1904-1937). Oklahoma Historical Society's Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. (29 April 2009)
2. ^ ^{a b c} Lester, 571
3. ^ ^{a b c} Pochoir prints of ledger drawings by the Kiowa Five, 1929. Smithsonian Institution Research Information System. (retrieved 29 April 2009)
4. ^ Swan, 77
5. ^ Lester, 572
6. ^ Abouth the Kiowa Five. Jacobson House Native Art Center. (retrieved 29 April 2009)

References

• Lester, Patrick D. The Biographical Directory of Native American Painters. Norman and London: The Oklahoma University Press, 1995. ISBN 0806199369.
• Swan, Daniel C. Peyote Religious Art: Symbols and Faith and Belief. Jackson, University of Mississippi Press, 1999. ISBN 1-57806-096-6.
• Wyckoff, Lydia L., ed. Visions and voices : Native American painting from the Philbrook Museum of Art. Tulsa, OK: Philbrook Museum of Art, 1996. ISBN 0-86659-013-7.

External links

• Jacobson House Native Art Center: About the Kiowa Five
• Monroe Tsatoke, article from the Oklahoma Historical Society

Persondata
Name	Monroe Tsatoke
Alternative names	Tsatokee, Hunting Horse
Short description	Kiowa painter from Oklahoma, one of the Kiowa Five
Date of birth	29 September 1904
Place of birth	Saddle Mountain, Oklahoma
Date of death	3 February 1937
Place of death