North America | Arizona
Katsina Doll
Arizona
Antelope Katsina Doll (variant)
Chöp
Carved by Hopi Chief Wilson Tawaquaptewa (1873-1960)
Hopi
Arizona, USA
Circa 1930
Carved wood (cottonwood) and pigments
Height: 36 cm – 14 ¼ in.
Provenance
Collection Steve Nelson, California
Tawaquaptewa Antelope Katsina 36 cm / Galerie Flak
Price: on request
Katsina dolls (or katsinam) represent spirits or gods from the pantheon of the Pueblo peoples in the American Southwest. Given to children, katsina dolls constituted a pedagogical tool allowing them to familiarize themselves with the spiritual world and perpetuating knowledge of the founding myths on which their society was based.
Chop Katsina danced to increase the numbers of game animals and bring rain, this Katsina is also said to enable the grass to grow and help cure spasms.
Chop dancers appeared in Mixed Dances (usully along with the Wolf Kachina/Kweo).
This Katsina doll is the work of a Hopi master carver, Wilson Tawaquaptewa (1873-1960).
Oraibi chief W. Tawaquaptewa was both a prominent a spiritual and political Hopi leader; he is also celebrated as one of the greatest Katsina doll carvers.
A major exhibition of W. Tawaquaptewa's works was notably presented a few years ago at the Birmingham Museum of Art (Alabama, USA).
The color palette on this doll is typical of this artist's works.
For more information on this artist, please refer to the chapter “The Unique Katsinam of Wilson Tawaquaptewa” in the book "L'Appel des Kachinas - Katsina Calling", pages 60 to 72 (B. Walsh, J. Flak, 2024).
Chop Katsina danced to increase the numbers of game animals and bring rain, this Katsina is also said to enable the grass to grow and help cure spasms.
Chop dancers appeared in Mixed Dances (usully along with the Wolf Kachina/Kweo).
This Katsina doll is the work of a Hopi master carver, Wilson Tawaquaptewa (1873-1960).
Oraibi chief W. Tawaquaptewa was both a prominent a spiritual and political Hopi leader; he is also celebrated as one of the greatest Katsina doll carvers.
A major exhibition of W. Tawaquaptewa's works was notably presented a few years ago at the Birmingham Museum of Art (Alabama, USA).
The color palette on this doll is typical of this artist's works.
For more information on this artist, please refer to the chapter “The Unique Katsinam of Wilson Tawaquaptewa” in the book "L'Appel des Kachinas - Katsina Calling", pages 60 to 72 (B. Walsh, J. Flak, 2024).
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