Lot 111
Native American, Southwest, Arizona or New Mexico, Hopi, mid 20th century. A hand-carved and hand-painted corn kachina known as "Avachhoya" (meaning "spotted corn") decorated with turkey feathers on his head that point outward in the cardinal directions, two ears of corn painted on his white face, and a stylized black and white motif on the back of his head. Avachhoya's red body is adorned with various colored circles, perhaps to represent seeds of different varieties of corn. In addition, he wears fringed hide straps across his chest, an extensively decorated loin cloth (carved from wood) adorned with yellow flowers and colorful geometric motifs, fancy boots, armstraps, and green yarn tied around his knees and wrist. This type of katsina is designed to aid in the production of corn, a staple of Hopi life, symbolize a prayer for corn, as well as honor Mother Earth and her remarkable ability to provide sustenance for her children. Size: 10.375" H (26.4 cm)
The Katsinam, supernatural beings who live in the high mountains of the San Francisco Peaks above traditional Hopi territory, speak to the Hopi through costumed dance and song. These dancers emerge from the round ceremonial kivas that are at the center of their communities, singly or in groups, and dance to the music of drums, rattles, and song. Katsina figures (katsina dolls, katsin-tihu), made of cottonwood root, were created to represent them. Cottonwood is culturally symbolic because the cottonwood tree, once abundant in traditional Hopi lands, grows where water flows - thus, looking across a landscape, lines of cottonwood trees denote a water source in the desert. After carving, the figures are painted all over with whitewash, made from kaolin clay, and then painted in brilliant colors. Originally this was done using yucca brushes. Many of them are then decorated with other materials, like feathers, cloth, or fur. Katsina dolls are often given objects to hold which indicate their roles. Kachina dolls are not toys, but are given to young girls, representations of benevolent spirit beings.
Provenance: Private Louisville, Colorado, USA collection, purchased in the 1970s
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#173843
- Condition: Some loss to feathers. Minor stain on face beside one ear. Some areas of surface wear but colors and decorative imagery are still vivid.
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