Deer Stalking

In Deer Stalking, Gerald Nailor depicts three Navajo hunters stalking prey before the ambush. Two of the hunters lie in wait behind tall brush. One points to two deer in the distance, while the other cautiously readies his bow. Nearby, the third hunter quiets the men’s restless horses, who lift their hooves impatiently. Nailor instills a sense of suspense in the composition. At any point, the deer might scatter.

Completed in 1938, Deer Stalking is located in the Indian Arts and Crafts Shop at the Department of the Interior building in Washington, D.C. Symbolic designs by Nailor also adorn the entrance to the shop. On the opposing wall, Chiricahua Apache artist Allan Houser painted two murals titled Buffalo Hunt and Breaking Camp During Wartime. Both artists trained at the Santa Fe Indian School in New Mexico and learned a style of painting characterized by flat, delicate colors and precise outlines inspired by Plains hide painting and Pueblo pottery and mural designs. This resulting “Studio Style” is evident in each mural, as is the distinctive approach taken by each artist. Houser often painted scenes with dynamic movement and included elements of humor, while Nailor frequently painted in a softer palette and infused his scenes with quiet tension. To create each composition, both artists drew upon their respective Chiricahua Apache and Navajo traditions and narratives for inspiration.