Skip to main content
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.
ProvenanceCollected by James G. Swan, Port Townsend, Washington Territory, c. 1880; George Terasaki, New York City
BibliographyVincent, Gilbert T. Masterpieces of American Indian Art. New York: Harry Abrams, 1995, p.84.
Wardwell, Allen. Tangible Visions: Northwest Coast Indian Shamanism and its Art. New York: Monacelli Press/Corvus Press, 1996, p.102-103, fig.80.
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, p. 124, fig. 109.
Vincent, Gilbert et al. Art of the North American Indians: The Thaw Collection. Cooperstown, New York: Fenimore Art Museum, 2000, p.381.
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. 424.
Culture
Tlingit
Mask
Date1820-1850
DimensionsOverall: 9 1/2 × 7 1/8 × 4 in. (24.1 × 18.1 × 10.2 cm)
Object numberT0212
Credit LineLoan from the Eugene V. and Clare E. Thaw Charitable Trust
Photograph by John Bigelow Taylor, NYC
Label TextA great variety of spirit beings are depicted in the masks of Tlingit shamans. Each mask, worn only briefly during healing rituals, had a special facility that the shaman could call upon. The image on this mask appears to represent an eagle spirit. The open beak and extended tongue recall images from raven rattles and other symbols of spiritual contact and the passing of esoteric knowledge.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.
ProvenanceCollected by James G. Swan, Port Townsend, Washington Territory, c. 1880; George Terasaki, New York City
BibliographyVincent, Gilbert T. Masterpieces of American Indian Art. New York: Harry Abrams, 1995, p.84.
Wardwell, Allen. Tangible Visions: Northwest Coast Indian Shamanism and its Art. New York: Monacelli Press/Corvus Press, 1996, p.102-103, fig.80.
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, p. 124, fig. 109.
Vincent, Gilbert et al. Art of the North American Indians: The Thaw Collection. Cooperstown, New York: Fenimore Art Museum, 2000, p.381.
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. 424.
On View
Not on view
