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The man's feet rest upon the deeply-relieved head of a sea lion-like figure, whose body has been "split" to flank the man's legs and torso. This sea monster may represent the shaman's guardian spirit, via which he travels the unseen worlds. Embroidered with formline design, the creature's pectoral fins and body extend up the sides of the pole beneath the man's elbows. Behind his shoulders, the two sides of the tail flippers cap off the back edges of the composition. Positioned upside down, another possibly-human figure smiles broadly, its body area covered by the sea monster's head. Perhaps this represents the spirit of the deceased or entranced, released from the plane of physical existence. The highly animated face is rendered with a stylized mask-like structure, framed between the U-shaped ears of the bottom figure. Sitting upright on its haunches at the bottom of the arrangement is a bear, its muzzle turned down upon its chest. The sculpture of the roundly-ridged snout, with grooved wrinkles behind the flat, oval nostrils, represents a uniquely individual approach to this facial structure, one that serves to identify the work of Stilthda in other objects. The square-shouldered arms of the bear are depicted with human hands, holding a most unusual creature against its chest. This figure has the hind legs and broad belly of a frog, but its snout is narrow, with long, oval nostrils uncharacteristic of an amphibian. Front legs and feet lie beside its head and mouth, and between its large, round eyes are fit two long, half-round, parallel ridges that issue up from beneath its nose. No insect's wings are present to suggest these are antennae, and the shape of the head is consistent with the speculative identity of a small rodent such as a shrew. These parallel forms could be greatly exaggerated incisor teeth, turned visibly up in front of the mammal's head. (From the Catalog of the Thaw Collection of American Indian Art, 2nd ed.)
ProvenanceGeorge Terasaki, New York City
BibliographyWright, Robin K. "Two Haida Artists from Yan: Will John Gwaytihl and Simeon Stilthda Please Step Apart?" American Indian Art Magazine. Vol. 23, No.3 (Summer 1998): 53-55.
Vincent, Gilbert et al. Art of the North American Indians: The Thaw Collection. Cooperstown, New York: Fenimore Art Museum, 2000, p.348.
Wright, Robin. Northern Haida Master Carvers. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2001, p.303, fig.5.66.
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. 376.
Attributed to
Simeon Stilthda
(died 1889, Haida)
Model Totem Pole
Date1860-1880
MediumWood (yew)
DimensionsOverall: 25 1/4 × 4 3/8 × 3 in. (64.1 × 11.1 × 7.6 cm)
Object numberT0189
Credit LineGift of Eugene V. and Clare E. Thaw
Photograph by John Bigelow Taylor, NYC
Label TextIn the late 19th century model totem poles had become a fairly common art form, and some of the most highly-skilled artists have produced model poles of fantastic craftsmanship. This richly polished example is very likely the model of a full-sized memorial pole made for a particular individual. The whole surface of the carving has darkened over the years, complementing the characteristicly warm, reddish color of the yew wood. At the top of the pole is a human figure, evidently deceased or in a shamanic trance; so implied by his closed eyes and the formal position of the hands upon his stomach. Possibly a chief is represented, though the headdress is unlike those commonly worn by Northwest Coast nobility. It more closely resembles the configuration of a swanskin-and-feather type headdress, (without the usual maskette in front), often worn by north coast shamans. Such headdresses appear on shaman carvings by contemporaries of Simeon Stilthda, though in this case it may depict some other form of ceremonial headgear. There is a portrait-like modeling to the small face, finished off by simple earlobes and hanging, straight hair on the back of the head. The man's upper body appears to be unclothed, his collarbone protruding slightly, with no garment collar or sleeves indicated. Below the hands, a belt is carved at his waist, and the square lower hem of a kilt or apron is indicated on his upper thigh, representing a common shaman's garment. The man's feet rest upon the deeply-relieved head of a sea lion-like figure, whose body has been "split" to flank the man's legs and torso. This sea monster may represent the shaman's guardian spirit, via which he travels the unseen worlds. Embroidered with formline design, the creature's pectoral fins and body extend up the sides of the pole beneath the man's elbows. Behind his shoulders, the two sides of the tail flippers cap off the back edges of the composition. Positioned upside down, another possibly-human figure smiles broadly, its body area covered by the sea monster's head. Perhaps this represents the spirit of the deceased or entranced, released from the plane of physical existence. The highly animated face is rendered with a stylized mask-like structure, framed between the U-shaped ears of the bottom figure. Sitting upright on its haunches at the bottom of the arrangement is a bear, its muzzle turned down upon its chest. The sculpture of the roundly-ridged snout, with grooved wrinkles behind the flat, oval nostrils, represents a uniquely individual approach to this facial structure, one that serves to identify the work of Stilthda in other objects. The square-shouldered arms of the bear are depicted with human hands, holding a most unusual creature against its chest. This figure has the hind legs and broad belly of a frog, but its snout is narrow, with long, oval nostrils uncharacteristic of an amphibian. Front legs and feet lie beside its head and mouth, and between its large, round eyes are fit two long, half-round, parallel ridges that issue up from beneath its nose. No insect's wings are present to suggest these are antennae, and the shape of the head is consistent with the speculative identity of a small rodent such as a shrew. These parallel forms could be greatly exaggerated incisor teeth, turned visibly up in front of the mammal's head. (From the Catalog of the Thaw Collection of American Indian Art, 2nd ed.)
ProvenanceGeorge Terasaki, New York City
BibliographyWright, Robin K. "Two Haida Artists from Yan: Will John Gwaytihl and Simeon Stilthda Please Step Apart?" American Indian Art Magazine. Vol. 23, No.3 (Summer 1998): 53-55.
Vincent, Gilbert et al. Art of the North American Indians: The Thaw Collection. Cooperstown, New York: Fenimore Art Museum, 2000, p.348.
Wright, Robin. Northern Haida Master Carvers. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2001, p.303, fig.5.66.
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. 376.
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