Basketry Flat Case
CultureLower Columbia River region, possibly Chinook or Clatsop, Washington or Oregon
Dateca. 1825
MediumNatural and dyed bear grass, and cherry bark
DimensionsOverall: 9 × 14 1/4 inches (22.86 × 36.2 cm)
Credit LinePurchase: Donald D. Jones Fund for American Indian Art
Object number2009.18
On View
On viewGallery Location
- 206
Collections
DescriptionFlat basketry container, golden yellow in color with dark geometric and figurative designs in horizontally banded format.Gallery LabelBasketry is an ancient form of creative expression among the cultures that inhabited the Plateau region, but few examples made prior to 1850 have survived. This rare, finely twined container is representative of that early tradition. It is distinguished by its elegant design, softly glowing golden color and remarkable texture. The row of human figures across the bottom is configured with one of each pair slightly overlapping the other as though its arm is around a partner. Through this simple device, the weaver has communicated an expression of human connection—perhaps a ceremony or joined couples; or an image symbolic of friendship or group unity.
Torrence, Gaylord, ed. Continuum: North American Native Art at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Kansas City: Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.
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