Charles Banks Wilson (Oklahoma, 1918-2013)

Handgame Feast aka Mealtime at a Handgame

1941

The fine, early lithograph from an edition of only 30 prints is signed and dated by the artist in pencil below the image lower right and titled lower left, Hunt number 11. As per usual with all early Charles Wilson lithographs, this is a fine, dark impression. Exhibited: 1st Southwestern Print Exhibition, February 1-29, 1948, Dallas Museum of Fine Arts.

This composition documents a traditional Native American social gathering centered around a guessing game known as Handgame where one team hides engraved bone domino-like game pieces in their hands and the opposing team attempts to guess who holds which piece.

The artist's comments in The Lithographs of Charles Banks Wilson by David Hunt read: Uncle Alex Beaver's longhouse was the setting, and the handgame the central activity of an evening that included all manner of country games. Afterward, the food that everyone had brought for the occasion was carried in from the cooking fires outside. What wasn't eaten was divided up and taken home -- a satisfying climax to an evening of fun, not ceremony.

No record of this print having been offered at auction can be found. One other from the edition is held in the Gilcrease museum.





Image measures 9 x 15 with a framed size of 18 x 23.5 inches.

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Very good condition, the full untrimmed sheet, not laid down, no damage, stain, punctures, tears or repair; framed to archival standards in acid free mounts.