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A relative in form to the double-ended spruce canoe of the early Tlingits, head canoes, known in Tlingit by a term that translates as long-tail, are characterized by thinly carved flat projections at the ends, cut broad and near-vertically at the bow while long and angling upward at the stern. The gunwales rise up sharply near the point where the sides come together to form the thin fins of the ends. A carved hollow parallels the rim of the gunwales on the inside, tapering down and ending at the limit of their upward rise. The enigmatic shape of the broad bow, with its nearly flat top and slight angle to its forward edge, appears as though it may have been inspired by the silhouette of a sperm whale's head with its forward-spouting blowhole at the upper corner. (From the Catalog of the Thaw Collection of American Indian Art, 2nd ed.)
ProvenanceGift of George Terasaki (85) (GT357), New York City
Bibliography"New Acquisitions for Fenimore's Thaw Collection." Antiques and the Arts Weekly 30 March 2001, p.14.
"Tenth Anniversary of the Eugene and Clare Thaw Collection of American Indian Art, 1995-2005" in Heritage magazine, 2005, vol 20. pg. 44-45.
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. 371.
Culture
Possibly Haida
Model Head Canoe
Datec. 1830-1860
DimensionsOverall: 10 1/2 × 11 × 68 in. (26.7 × 27.9 × 172.7 cm)
Object numberT0792
Credit LineGift of Mr. George Terasaki
Photograph by John Bigelow Taylor, NYC
Label TextThe most unusual of all Northwest Coat canoe designs, the head canoe is one of the most ancient types. Once the dominant large canoe on the coast from the Tlingit country of Southeast Alaska as far south as northern Vancouver Island, these grand vessels were used for generations of travel, trade, and warfare, but were eventually supplanted by a later canoe development.A relative in form to the double-ended spruce canoe of the early Tlingits, head canoes, known in Tlingit by a term that translates as long-tail, are characterized by thinly carved flat projections at the ends, cut broad and near-vertically at the bow while long and angling upward at the stern. The gunwales rise up sharply near the point where the sides come together to form the thin fins of the ends. A carved hollow parallels the rim of the gunwales on the inside, tapering down and ending at the limit of their upward rise. The enigmatic shape of the broad bow, with its nearly flat top and slight angle to its forward edge, appears as though it may have been inspired by the silhouette of a sperm whale's head with its forward-spouting blowhole at the upper corner. (From the Catalog of the Thaw Collection of American Indian Art, 2nd ed.)
ProvenanceGift of George Terasaki (85) (GT357), New York City
Bibliography"New Acquisitions for Fenimore's Thaw Collection." Antiques and the Arts Weekly 30 March 2001, p.14.
"Tenth Anniversary of the Eugene and Clare Thaw Collection of American Indian Art, 1995-2005" in Heritage magazine, 2005, vol 20. pg. 44-45.
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. 371.
On View
On viewc. 1850-1900
1450-1550
