The Honor of Being Pipe Carrier
$1,800.00
Editorial View
The Gallery's Perspective
A hush seems to settle over the rocky hollow before the ceremony begins—there is tenderness here more than drama. Terpning places three figures at the cave’s mouth: a seated woman eased into an upright position, a husband steadying a suspended raven bundle, and a medicine man raising smoke and sacred herbs. The muted earth tones and soft, natural light make the scene feel private and reverent, while the cave’s dark opening frames the group and gives the moment a sense of protection. Small gestures—the careful tilt of the husband’s hands, the medicine man’s focused posture, the woman’s quiet vulnerability—give the composition its emotional weight. Textural brushwork suggests weathered hides, braided hair, and the dancing smoke, all combining to evoke a ritual aimed at comfort and healing rather than spectacle. It reads as a thoughtful study of care, community, and the quiet power of ceremonial practice.
The Artwork
About The Healing Power of the Raven Bundle
The Healing Power of the Raven Bundle — Artist Proof Lithograph
The Healing Power of the Raven Bundle — Artist Proof Lithograph - The Plains Indians believed that medicine men were empowered by their sacred bundles and could release forces to enhance the healing process, Howard says. The setting for this painting is a cave I visited on a ranch in Montana. In this scenario, a band of Crow Indians has camped nearby. A woman in the camp has developed a breathing problem, perhaps the early stages of pneumonia.
Using a travois, her husband and a medicine man have brought her to this sacred location where she has been placed in an upright position to ease her breathing. As the scene unfolds, the medicine man is sprinkling sage and sweet grass on the fire to purify both the bundle and the participants in this ceremony. The husband assists by adjusting the raven bundle so that it is suspended directly over the woman. Such healing ceremonies often lasted for hours and might be repeated on subsequent days if the desired results were not forthcoming. We can only hope that this outcome was favorable.
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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.
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Image copyright © 2026 by Howard Terpning.
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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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