The Honor of Being Pipe Carrier
$1,800.00
Editorial View
The Gallery's Perspective
You notice first the hush of a sacred moment — a small circle of men gathered around smoke and light while one figure holds a richly painted shield as if cradling something both powerful and fragile. The painting’s warm ochres and russets give the scene an autumnal glow, while the pale column of smoke rising through the center creates a quiet axis that separates ritual from the world beyond. Faces are rendered with careful attention: the shield-bearer’s steady posture and the focused, reverent expressions of those around him suggest weighty responsibility rather than triumph. Feathers, leather, and paint on the shield read as objects of history and ceremony; the repeated verticals of standing figures and trees reinforce a solemn, upward energy. Together, color, light, and gesture convey respect, tradition, and the intimate choreography of transfer — a moment in which community, story, and sacred object meet. The scene feels both private and communal, the kind of image that invites slow looking and quiet reflection on continuity and care across generations.
The Artwork
About Transferring the Medicine Shield (Anniversary Masterwork Canvas)
Transferring the Medicine Shield (Anniversary Masterwork Canvas) - The shield was considered a medicine object among the Blackfeet people and was treated with the same great care and reverence as other medicine bundles. If the shield were to be transferred to another, it had to be exchanged in a formal ritual.
As Terpning explains the ceremony, first a smudge would be made inside the tepee. The shield would be passed through the sacred smoke four times, four being considered a magical number by Plains Indians. The recipient of the shield was painted with yellow earth over the face and hands, the face would then be streaked by drawing the fingertips downward. A red transverse band was painted across the mouth. Four drums were beaten and special songs were sung. The seller then took up the shield and dodged about, pretending to avoid blows or arrow strikes, as in a fight. At the end of the ceremony, the recipient paid the former owner with a horse.
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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