Cigar Store Indian c. 1941

LeRoy Griffith's "Cigar Store Indian" (c. 1941) is a watercolor painting depicting a traditional, wooden cigar store Indian. This genre of folk art, popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries, is often characterized by its colorful, stylized figures and its use of wood carving. Griffith's depiction, however, focuses on the figure's form and uses a more realistic style, highlighting the figure's intricately painted garments and headdress. This work captures the enduring image of the "Cigar Store Indian" and its place in American cultural history.