1996 portrait of Chief Redbone of the Ramapough Tribe painted over numerous sittings in the then studio of listed artist and author John Elliot. Oil pastel on Canson Paper.

Included are article clipping from Pastel Journal, 2 copies of the book still in print displaying this monumental portrait, and an audio tape of one of the sittings where members of the tribe would gather in the artist's studio and also a COA (Certificate of Authenticity) by the artist's widow.

RONALD VAN DUNK, 68
Author
By New York Times News Service
PUBLISHED: April 11, 2001 at 1:00 AM CDT | UPDATED: August 20, 2021 at 12:03 PM CDT

Ronald Van Dunk, who led the Ramapough Mountain Indians in their continuing fight to win federal recognition as a tribe, has died.

Mr. Van Dunk, 68, died April 1 of heart failure in a nursing home in Suffern, N.Y.

Mr. Van Dunk, who was known as Chief Red Bone, held the title of grand chief of the 3,000 Ramapough Mountain Indians, who belong to three groups or clans living in Hillburn, in New York's Rockland County and across the state line in Mahwah and Ringwood, N.J.

They were recognized as a tribe by New York and New Jersey, but the federal government has denied their application for tribal status, filed in 1979.

The importance of tribal recognition grew with the enactment of the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 because success would open the way to casino gambling within a half-hour of New York City.

Mr. Van Dunk had repeatedly insisted he was interested in reclaiming his people's heritage, along with the educational and welfare benefits to which Native Americans are entitled. Any consideration of a casino, he said, could come later.


Condition:
Alterations: Original Condition Unaltered
Imperfections: Some Imperfections
Condition Notes: Some tattering in corner (see picture) and the original large "wrinkles" have been pressed out by being rolled archivally for the last 30 years.

Origin:
United States

Creator:
Artist: John Elliot

Materials & Techniques:
Oil Pastel, Paper

Details:
Art Subjects: Portrait
Frame Type: Unframed
What type of item is it? Vintage / Antique / Used
Country of Origin: United States

Original Condition Unaltered; Some Imperfections; Some tattering in corner (see picture) and the original large "wrinkles" have been pressed out by being rolled archivally for the last 30 years.