Lightening Blanket (1983) is a striking R.C. Gorman stone lithograph depicting a seated Native woman enveloped in a richly patterned blanket. Shown in profile against a deep blue background, the figure appears calm and self-contained, her dark hair gathered neatly at the back and one hand emerging gracefully from the folds.
The blanket dominates the composition with broad diagonal bands of red, orange, yellow, cream, gray, and deep brown. Its angular patterning creates a sense of movement across the otherwise quiet pose, while the warm palette contrasts dramatically with the cool blue ground. Gorman’s sculptural treatment of the fabric gives the figure a monumental presence without sacrificing intimacy or restraint. Produced in an edition of 200, Lightening Blanket is a strong example of Gorman’s early-1980s figurative work and an appealing selection for collectors of Native American art, blanket imagery, and Southwest stone lithographs.
