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Exhibition History"Art Des Indiens D'Amerique Du Nord Dans La Collection D'Eugene Thaw," Mona Bismarck Foundation, Paris, France, Somogy Editions D'Art, January 21, 2000 - March 18, 2000.
"Art of the American Indian: The Thaw Collection," The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH, March 2, 2010 - May 30, 2010; Minneapolis Museum of Art, Minneapolis, MN, October 24, 2010 - January 9, 2011; Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, TX, April 24, 2011 - September 23, 2011; Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, IN, December 4, 2011 - February 12, 2012.
ProvenanceJerrie and Anne Vander Houwen, Yakima, Washington; George Shaw Gallery, Aspen, Colorado
BibliographyVincent, Gilbert T. Masterpieces of American Indian Art. New York: Harry Abrams, 1995, pp.68-69.
Perriot, Francoise, and Slim Batteux, trans. Arts des Indiens d'Amerique du Nord: Dans la Collection d'Eugene et Clare Thaw. Paris, Somogy edition d'Art, 1999, pp. 112-113, fig. 88.
Vincent, Gilbert et al. Art of the North American Indians: The Thaw Collection. Cooperstown, New York: Fenimore Art Museum, 2000, p.320-321.
Fognell, Eva and Alexander Brier Marr, eds. Art of the North American Indians: The Thaw Collection at the Fenimore Art Museum, 2nd ed. Cooperstown, New York: Fenimore Art Museum, 2016, p. 353.
Culture
Nuu-chah-nulth (Nootka)
Pair of Lightning Serpent Masks
Date1860-1880
MediumYellow cedar, spruce, fir, paint, red cedar bark, wire, tin can, string, cut nails, cotton fabric
DimensionsOverall (Male): 9 1/2 × 6 1/2 × 26 in. (24.1 × 16.5 × 66 cm)
Overall (Female): 8 5/8 × 7 × 24 in. (21.9 × 17.8 × 61 cm)
Object numberT0159a-b
Credit LineGift of Eugene V. and Clare E. Thaw Charitable Trust
Photograph by Richard Walker
Label TextThese masks represent the Lightning Serpent and were worn during the Wolf ceremony on top of the head at a slightly upward angle. Always used as a pair, they represent a male and a female. They have different paintings on their opposing sides and the rights to a specific image or being is a family privilege. The Lightning Serpent often appears near the Thunderbird and is sometimes described as the harpoon of the Thunderbird.Exhibition History"Art Des Indiens D'Amerique Du Nord Dans La Collection D'Eugene Thaw," Mona Bismarck Foundation, Paris, France, Somogy Editions D'Art, January 21, 2000 - March 18, 2000.
"Art of the American Indian: The Thaw Collection," The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH, March 2, 2010 - May 30, 2010; Minneapolis Museum of Art, Minneapolis, MN, October 24, 2010 - January 9, 2011; Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, TX, April 24, 2011 - September 23, 2011; Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, IN, December 4, 2011 - February 12, 2012.
ProvenanceJerrie and Anne Vander Houwen, Yakima, Washington; George Shaw Gallery, Aspen, Colorado
BibliographyVincent, Gilbert T. Masterpieces of American Indian Art. New York: Harry Abrams, 1995, pp.68-69.
Perriot, Francoise, and Slim Batteux, trans. Arts des Indiens d'Amerique du Nord: Dans la Collection d'Eugene et Clare Thaw. Paris, Somogy edition d'Art, 1999, pp. 112-113, fig. 88.
Vincent, Gilbert et al. Art of the North American Indians: The Thaw Collection. Cooperstown, New York: Fenimore Art Museum, 2000, p.320-321.
Fognell, Eva and Alexander Brier Marr, eds. Art of the North American Indians: The Thaw Collection at the Fenimore Art Museum, 2nd ed. Cooperstown, New York: Fenimore Art Museum, 2016, p. 353.
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