The Honor of Being Pipe Carrier
$1,800.00
Editorial View
The Gallery's Perspective
A hush seems to settle across the canvas as the medicine man lifts his hands, palms open in a gesture that feels both ritual and invitation. Terpning builds that quiet intensity through warm, sunlit tones spilling from the left, which catch the textured surface of the robe and the feathers in the sitter’s hair. The figure’s face — lined, concentrated, uplifted toward that light — becomes the emotional center: you sense patience, resolve, and a reverent expectancy rather than a posed portrait. The painting’s palette of golds, ochres and soft umbers gives the scene an autumnal warmth, while the painterly brushwork around the fringes suggests movement in cloth and air. Small details — beadwork, the feathered regalia, and the pendant held between finger and thumb — ground the moment in cultural presence without feeling didactic. Compositionally, the vertical shafts of light and the angled lines of the tent subtly support the figure’s upward reach, reinforcing the sense that something larger is being addressed. Viewed in a living space, this work carries a quiet dignity and a contemplative energy: it’s the kind of image that draws you close to listen, then leaves you holding the feeling of a ritual just completed.
The Artwork
About CALLING THE BUFFALO
The indomitable power of the human spirit binds mankind. We can recognize and identify with this across nationality, geography and time. Howard Terpnings ability to capture and express this in his art is what attracts us to his paintings and sets them apart from others. We share his awe for the beauty of our world in "The Force of Nature Humbles All Men," the burden of leadership in "Chief Joseph Rides to Surrender" and the expression of this Blackfoot medicine mans belief and faith in Terpnings newest release, "Calling The Buffalo."
Collector Details
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About the Collection
Howard Terpning is one of the most celebrated Western artists, known for his historically rich and emotionally compelling depictions of Native American life. With a deep respect for Plains Indian culture, his paintings capture narrative storytelling in art, bringing history to life through traditional oil paintings. A member of the Cowboy Artists of America, Terpning’s work is recognized for its historical realism and museum-quality craftsmanship. His fine art prints and originals are highly sought after, making him a defining figure in American West painting.
Image Rights
Image copyright © 2026 by Howard Terpning.
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Authenticity & Documentation
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Quite simply, Howard Terpning is one of the most lauded painters of Western art. His awards are so numerous and he is honored with them so often, that to list them would require changing the count every few months. To name three would be to cite the highest prizes awarded to Western art: countless awards from the Cowboy Artists of America, the Hubbard Art Award for Excellence, the National Academy of Western Art s Prix de West and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Gene Autry Museum.
Why such praise? Passion, compassion, devotion and respect for his subject matter, extraordinary talent in palette and brushstroke, an exceptional ability to evoke emotion both in his paintings and from those viewing them — all this and more has made Terpning the "Storyteller of the Native American."
Born in Illinois and educated at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts and the American Academy of Art, he first gained attention from some powerful Time and Newsweek covers. Film fans praised his movie posters for such classics as The Sound of Music, Dr. Zhivago and the re-issue of Gone with the Wind.
But his love of the West and Native American traditions saw his transition to fine art. Terpning was a long-time member of the Cowboy Artists of America, which has presented him with Gold and Silver awards, "Best of Show" awards, and "Best Overall Show by a Single Artist" awards more than two dozen times.
His first book, The Art of Howard Terpning won the Wrangler "Outstanding Art Book" award from the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. Spirit of the Plains People, his second book, was released in 2001 in conjunction with a one-man show at the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art. A third, Tribute to the Plains People, was released in 2012 to celebrate his retrospective at The Autry National Center in Los Angeles.
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