Katsina doll

Kachina Collection | Arizona

Katsina doll

Arizona

Katsina
Carved by Hopi Chief Wilson Tawaquaptewa (1873-1960)
Hopi
Arizona, USA

Circa 1930
Carved wood (cottonwood) and pigments
Height: 17.5 cm – 6 ¾ in.

Provenance
Private collection, USA

Tawaquaptewa Long-eared Katsina doll 17.5 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.

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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