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Julien Flak
Katsina doll
Archives | Arizona
Katsina doll
Arizona
Ho’ote Katsina doll
Hopi
Circa 1930
Carved wood (cottonwood), pigments, feathers
Height: 26 cm – 10 ¼ in.
Provenance
Collection Marquis Roland de la Moussaye
Christie’s Paris, 7 June 2005 lot 280
Collection Edith & Roland Flak, Paris, acquired above
Thence in a private collection, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Exhibition and publication
“La Danse des kachina”, Pavillon des Arts, Paris Musées, 1998, plate 100 page 167
Sold
This Katsina doll, which was part of the Marquis Roland de la Moussaye’s collection before 1998, was featured in the landmark exhibition "La Danse des Kachina" at the Pavillon des Arts in Paris over 25 years ago. It is reproduced in the eponymous catalog under number 100.
Ho'ote Katsina is considered particularly beneficial by the Hopi. He is said to bring good fortune to the members of the kiva and to the entire village. Despite the horns and the fearsome appearance, he is a kindly Katsina.
He is danced on all the mesas and can also be seen in the Niman ceremony. His appearances are prayers for the blooming of spring flowers. He acts as a messenger and ensures the harmony of the elements, notably the stars and the sun.
The motifs on his face depict a stylized rainbow and multicolored raindrops, symbolizing the cardinal directions from which they originate.
Ho'ote Katsina is considered particularly beneficial by the Hopi. He is said to bring good fortune to the members of the kiva and to the entire village. Despite the horns and the fearsome appearance, he is a kindly Katsina.
He is danced on all the mesas and can also be seen in the Niman ceremony. His appearances are prayers for the blooming of spring flowers. He acts as a messenger and ensures the harmony of the elements, notably the stars and the sun.
The motifs on his face depict a stylized rainbow and multicolored raindrops, symbolizing the cardinal directions from which they originate.
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Archives
Thule seal
Archives | Alaska
Thule seal
Alaska
Shamanic amulet / ornament
Thule Culture – Ancient Eskimo
18th century or earlier
Carved walrus tooth
Length: 1 in. – 2.5 cm
Provenance
Collection Anthony JP Meyer, Paris
Private collection, France, acquired from the above
Sold
According to Fitzhugh et Kaplan (Inua: Spirit World of the Bering Sea Eskimo, 1982 : 156), these shamanic figurines were carved for several purposes: to stand in for people absent from the village during festivals, to avert infertility, or else to focus the attention of animal inua (spirit) during the Doll Festival, which was held to bless hunting and fishing expeditions in the coming year.
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Archives
Snow Goggles
Archives | Alaska
Snow Goggles
Alaska
Igauget snow goggles
Inupiaq – Ancient Eskimo
North of the Bering Strait
19th century
Carved wood
Length: 5 ½ in. – 14 cm
Provenance
Collection Karin & Leo (1937-1987) Van Oosterom, The Hague, acquired in 1980
Sold
These goggles called "igauget" or "nigauget" in the Yup'ik dialects of Alaska, were carved so as to echo as closely as possible the shape of the face, and minimize luminosity to a maximum – hence the narrowness of the openings for the eyes. The width of these openings had a direct influence on the wearer’s visual field. The more the visual field was reduced, the more visual acuity was accentuated.
Goggles with slits of different sizes were chosen to match climatic conditions (in particular according to the incidence and intensity of the sun’s rays as they varied with the seasons over the course of the year).
Around the beginning of March the returning sun begins to produce a glare on the snow covered Arctic landscape especially north of the tree line. By late April the country acts like a giant mirror reflecting ever more direct bright light.
The goggles varied according to the locality in which they were made and could be carved of wood, often driftwood collected on the shoreline, or whalebone or from the tusk of a walrus.
As noted by Bill Wolf, the harsh Arctic climate presented some unique impediments to the Eskimo hunter. The high latitude left the sun low on the horizon through much of the year, and the resulting glare was compounded by the highly reflective snow or water that covered the area. Without protection, a hunter’s eyes were left vulnerable to a painful and often serious condition known as snow blindness, similar to a sunburn. Ivory or wood snow goggles alleviated this effect by allowing the wearer to peer through narrow openings, while shading him from the excessive glare. Additionally, they afforded protection from wind, sleet, etc. while traveling.
In this artifact, an ingenious utilitarian object is elevated to the level of a work of fine art. These goggles been exquisitely sculpted to fit the contours of the hunter’s face. The economy of line is remarkable.
Goggles with slits of different sizes were chosen to match climatic conditions (in particular according to the incidence and intensity of the sun’s rays as they varied with the seasons over the course of the year).
Around the beginning of March the returning sun begins to produce a glare on the snow covered Arctic landscape especially north of the tree line. By late April the country acts like a giant mirror reflecting ever more direct bright light.
The goggles varied according to the locality in which they were made and could be carved of wood, often driftwood collected on the shoreline, or whalebone or from the tusk of a walrus.
As noted by Bill Wolf, the harsh Arctic climate presented some unique impediments to the Eskimo hunter. The high latitude left the sun low on the horizon through much of the year, and the resulting glare was compounded by the highly reflective snow or water that covered the area. Without protection, a hunter’s eyes were left vulnerable to a painful and often serious condition known as snow blindness, similar to a sunburn. Ivory or wood snow goggles alleviated this effect by allowing the wearer to peer through narrow openings, while shading him from the excessive glare. Additionally, they afforded protection from wind, sleet, etc. while traveling.
In this artifact, an ingenious utilitarian object is elevated to the level of a work of fine art. These goggles been exquisitely sculpted to fit the contours of the hunter’s face. The economy of line is remarkable.
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Archives
Kanak War Club
oceania | New Caledonia
Kanak War Club
New Caledonia
Porowa ra maru “bird head” club
Late 19th century
Carved wood
Height: 24 ½ in. – 62.5 cm
Provenance
Private collection, France
Collection Renaud Vanuxem, acquired from the above
Kanak War Club 62.5 cm / Galerie Flak
Price on request
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York states that the distinctively shaped porowa ra maru, or "bird head" clubs of New Caledonia were prestigious objects created for use by chiefs. The clubs symbolized wealth and high rank, and on some occasions served as gifts during ceremonial exchanges.
The top of the clubs are carved in the form of stylized bird heads typically distinguished, as here, by long, pointed beaks. However, as none of New Caledonia's indigenous birds have a similar beak, some scholars have suggested that the image instead represents the head of a sea turtle with its projecting, beaklike mouth.
The top of the clubs are carved in the form of stylized bird heads typically distinguished, as here, by long, pointed beaks. However, as none of New Caledonia's indigenous birds have a similar beak, some scholars have suggested that the image instead represents the head of a sea turtle with its projecting, beaklike mouth.
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oceania
Katsina doll
Archives | Arizona
Katsina doll
Arizona
Wakas Katsina – Cow Katsina doll
Hopi
Circa 1940s
Carved wood (cottonwood root), pigments and feathers
Height: 25.5 cm – 10 in.
Provenance
Collection Alan Kessler, Santa Fe, USA
Private collection, USA
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Katsina (or Kachina) dolls represent spirits or deities from the pantheon of the Pueblo peoples in the American Southwest. Traditionally given to children, these carved figures served an educational purpose.
This figure, known as Wakas, represents the Cow Katsina. Like many animal spirits, this Katsina participates in dances on the ceremonial plaza to promote the health and growth of the herds. It also appears in nighttime ceremonies within the kiva, a subterranean ritual chamber. As a messenger of the Rain Gods, Wakas underscores the vital role of the animal kingdom in sustaining life.
This carved figure stands out for the superb twisting of its body, creating the impression that the character is dancing.
This figure, known as Wakas, represents the Cow Katsina. Like many animal spirits, this Katsina participates in dances on the ceremonial plaza to promote the health and growth of the herds. It also appears in nighttime ceremonies within the kiva, a subterranean ritual chamber. As a messenger of the Rain Gods, Wakas underscores the vital role of the animal kingdom in sustaining life.
This carved figure stands out for the superb twisting of its body, creating the impression that the character is dancing.
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Archives
Paris Tribal 2025
Archives
Paris Tribal 2025
Explore the entire collection
Archives
Kastina doll
Archives | Arizona
Kastina doll
Arizona
Konin Katsina – Havasupai Katsina doll
Hopi
1920-1930
Carved wood (cottonwood), pigments
Height: 9 ½ – 24 cm
Provenance
Collection Barry Walsh, USA
Collection Suzanne Golt, California, acquired from the above in 2002
Publication
“The Great tradition of Hopi Katsina Carvers”, B. Walsh, Rio Nuevo, 2019, p. 22
Sold
Katsina dolls (or Katsinam) represent spirits or gods from the pantheon of the Pueblo peoples in the American Southwest. Given to children, kachina dolls constituted a teaching tool allowing them to familiarize themselves with the spiritual world and perpetuating knowledge of the founding myths on which their society was based.
This Katsina spirit represents the Havasupai, neighbors of the Hopi living in the Grand Canyon region.
This Katsina spirit represents the Havasupai, neighbors of the Hopi living in the Grand Canyon region.
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Archives
Mask – Himalaya
Himalaya | Nepal
Mask – Himalaya
Nepal
Monkey mask
Teraï region, Nepal
19th century or earlier
Carved wood and pigments
Height: 25.5 cm – 10 in.
Provenance
Collection Indian Heritage, Paris
Collection Alain Bovis, Paris
Monkey mask Terai Nepal 25.5 cm / Galerie FLAK
Price on request
Masks from Nepal’s Middle Hills and the regions bordering the Himalayas reveal an iconographic diversity steeped in strength and mystery. By the early 20th century, the original purposes of these masks had already faded from memory. Were they representations of ancestors, demons, or mythological figures? The possibilities remain as boundless as the imagination. Their connection to shamanism remains speculative, and their precise ceremonial functions continue to elude us.
These masks serve as tangible witnesses to the intricate web of human, spiritual, and artistic exchanges that have shaped the Himalayas, a crossroads between China and the Indian subcontinent.
Over the centuries, Buddhism, Hinduism, and animist cultures have all left their imprint weaving myths, magico-religious practices, and theatrical elements into the iconography of these masks.
These masks serve as tangible witnesses to the intricate web of human, spiritual, and artistic exchanges that have shaped the Himalayas, a crossroads between China and the Indian subcontinent.
Over the centuries, Buddhism, Hinduism, and animist cultures have all left their imprint weaving myths, magico-religious practices, and theatrical elements into the iconography of these masks.
Explore the entire collection
Himalaya
Mask – Himalaya
Himalaya | Nepal
Mask – Himalaya
Nepal
Face mask
Western Nepal
19th century or earlier
Carved wood
Height: 28 cm – 11 in.
Provenance
Collection Eric Chazot, Paris
Collection Alain Bovis, Paris
Publication
“L’art Tribal de l’Himalaya dans les collections privées”, Bovis, 2018, p. 68
Nepalese mask Chazot 28 cm / Galerie FLAK
Price: on request
Masks from Nepal’s Middle Hills and the regions bordering the Himalayas reveal an iconographic diversity steeped in strength and mystery. By the early 20th century, the original purposes of these masks had already faded from memory. Were they representations of ancestors, demons, or mythological figures? The possibilities remain as boundless as the imagination. Their connection to shamanism remains speculative, and their precise ceremonial functions continue to elude us.
These masks serve as tangible witnesses to the intricate web of human, spiritual, and artistic exchanges that have shaped the Himalayas, a crossroads between China and the Indian subcontinent.
Over the centuries, Buddhism, Hinduism, and animist cultures have all left their imprint weaving myths, magico-religious practices, and theatrical elements into the iconography of these masks.
These masks serve as tangible witnesses to the intricate web of human, spiritual, and artistic exchanges that have shaped the Himalayas, a crossroads between China and the Indian subcontinent.
Over the centuries, Buddhism, Hinduism, and animist cultures have all left their imprint weaving myths, magico-religious practices, and theatrical elements into the iconography of these masks.
Explore the entire collection
Himalaya
