Lot 157B
Native American, Southwestern United States, Hopi, ca. 2006 CE. A lovely hand-made wood kachina dancer doll representing Sunface or Tawa, adorned in leather, suede, rabbit fur, and quail feathers. The sun kachina is known as Tawakatsina or Tawa (sometimes Dawa), and is the embodiment of the sun, and contributed to the earth's creation. Tawa is part of dances and rituals that celebrate the seasons, solstices, and the sun's movement across the sky, using horizon observations by priests and horizon calendars. These celebrations were in tune with the natural world and harmonized human activity- such as planting and harvests- which reaffirmed the natural order of life. The underside of the base is signed and dated: "Les. H. 07/06." Size: 4.3" W x 11" H (10.9 cm x 27.9 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), are made of cottonwood root to represent these supernatural beings. 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 these were done using yucca brushes. Many katsina are then decorated with other materials, like feathers, cloth, or fur. Katsina dolls are often given objects to hold which indicate their roles.
Provenance: private Goldstein collection, Denver, Colorado, USA. The Goldstein's have amassed their collection over the past six decades.
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#177124
- Condition: Some bending and fraying to feathers. Minor stains to cloth areas and stray paint marks. Intact and overall great condition. Signed on base and dated clearly.
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