Headdress Frontlet
CultureNuxalk (Bella Coola), British Columbia, Canada
Dateca. 1870
MediumWood (alder), pigment, abalone shell, brass, and glass mirror
DimensionsOverall: 10 3/4 × 7 1/8 × 6 inches (27.31 × 18.11 × 15.24 cm)
Credit LineFrom the Estelle and Morton Sosland Collection
Object number2009.41.3
On View
On viewGallery Location
- 206
Collections
DescriptionCarved wooden mask like form with the image of a bird's head surrounded by abalone with small faces at the top, sides and bottom.Gallery LabelLong-beaked birds are frequently the subject of Nuxalk frontlets. The main figure of this carving appears to be a raven, with the small face, hands and feather shapes extending above the head seeming to represent the bird's tail. Another notable characteristic of many Nuxalk carvings is the presence of mirrors, held in place by brass disks, which represent the irises of the eyes. These would have created a dramatic flash as they reflected the firelight in the performance house. The deep blue color is also a typical feature.
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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