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ProvenanceLikely given as a presentation piece given to James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin and 12th Earl of Kincardine, Governor-General of Canada, during his residency 1847-1854; descended in the Elgin family to the 11th Earl of Elgin and the 15th Earl of Kincardine of Kincardine, Dunfermline, Scotland
BibliographyVincent, Gilbert et al. Art of the North American Indians: The Thaw Collection. Cooperstown, New York: Fenimore Art Museum, 2000, p.167.
Brasser, Ted J. "By the Power of Their Dreams: Artistic Traditions of the Northern Plains." In The Spirit Sings: Artistic Traditions of Canada's First Peoples. Edited by Julia Harrison. Calgary: Glenbow Museum, 1987, pp. 130-131, fig. 118.
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. 189.
Culture
Red River Metis
Mittens
Date1847-1854
DimensionsOverall (Mitten Dimension): 6 1/2 × 1/2 × 10 in. (16.5 × 1.3 × 25.4 cm)
Overall (Cord Between Mittens): 42 in. (106.7 cm)
Object numberT0094
Credit LineGift of Eugene V. and Clare E. Thaw
Photograph by John Bigelow Taylor, NYC
Label TextThese mittens are outstanding masterpieces of Metis art. By 1850 fine quillwork was becoming rare among the Red River Metis, beadwork having replaced the former art medium. Fine lines of quill piping cover the seams of these mittens. Braided neckstrings were and are popular in the Subarctic to prevent mittens from getting lost, but in this case the neckstring is too short to be useful. (From the Catalog of the Thaw Collection of American Indian Art, 2nd ed.)ProvenanceLikely given as a presentation piece given to James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin and 12th Earl of Kincardine, Governor-General of Canada, during his residency 1847-1854; descended in the Elgin family to the 11th Earl of Elgin and the 15th Earl of Kincardine of Kincardine, Dunfermline, Scotland
BibliographyVincent, Gilbert et al. Art of the North American Indians: The Thaw Collection. Cooperstown, New York: Fenimore Art Museum, 2000, p.167.
Brasser, Ted J. "By the Power of Their Dreams: Artistic Traditions of the Northern Plains." In The Spirit Sings: Artistic Traditions of Canada's First Peoples. Edited by Julia Harrison. Calgary: Glenbow Museum, 1987, pp. 130-131, fig. 118.
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. 189.
On View
On view
