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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.
ProvenanceRalph C. Altman, Los Angeles, California; Taylor Museum (3990), Colorado Springs, Colorado
BibliographyGunther, Erna. Indians of the Northwest Coast. Seattle: Seattle Art Museum. 1951, n.p.
Walker Art Center. American Indian Art: Form and Tradition. New York: E. P. Dutton, 1972, p. 124, cat. no. 212 (not ill.)
Kendall Mathe Miller, 1997, pl. 33 .
Perriot, Francoise, and Slim Battuex, trans. Arts des Indians d'Amerique du Nord: Dans la Collection d'Eugene et Clare Thaw. Paris, Somogy edition d'Art, 1999, p. 117, fig. 92.
Vincent, Gilbert et al. Art of the North American Indians: The Thaw Collection. Cooperstown, New York: Fenimore Art Museum, 2000, p.328.
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. 349.
Culture
Kwakwaka'wakw (Kwakiutl)
Speaker's Figure
Date1880-1895
DimensionsOverall: 88 1/2 × 20 × 13 in. (224.8 × 50.8 × 33 cm)
Object numberT0581
Credit LineLoan from the Eugene V. and Clare E. Thaw Charitable Trust
Photograph by Richard Walker
Label TextThe Kwakwaka'wakw (Kwakiutl) welcomed their guests to their great feasts, or potlatches, by placing a speaker’s figure out on the beach where the canoes would arrive or inside or in front of a house. An orator would stand behind the speaker’s figure and announce ceremonial words of welcome to the visitors. The figure’s rounded belly symbolizes the abundance of food and wealth the hosting chiefs possessed and would share with his visitors.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.
ProvenanceRalph C. Altman, Los Angeles, California; Taylor Museum (3990), Colorado Springs, Colorado
BibliographyGunther, Erna. Indians of the Northwest Coast. Seattle: Seattle Art Museum. 1951, n.p.
Walker Art Center. American Indian Art: Form and Tradition. New York: E. P. Dutton, 1972, p. 124, cat. no. 212 (not ill.)
Kendall Mathe Miller, 1997, pl. 33 .
Perriot, Francoise, and Slim Battuex, trans. Arts des Indians d'Amerique du Nord: Dans la Collection d'Eugene et Clare Thaw. Paris, Somogy edition d'Art, 1999, p. 117, fig. 92.
Vincent, Gilbert et al. Art of the North American Indians: The Thaw Collection. Cooperstown, New York: Fenimore Art Museum, 2000, p.328.
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. 349.
On View
Not on viewca. 1910
