Copper
Artist
Willie Seaweed (Hihlamas)
(North American Indian, Kwakwaka'wakw (Kwakiutl), 1873 - 1967)
Dateca. 1920
MediumCopper and pigment
DimensionsOverall: 30 5/8 × 17 7/8 inches (77.8 × 45.39 cm)
Credit LineFrom the Estelle and Morton Sosland Collection
Object number2009.41.10
On View
On viewGallery Location
- 206
Collections
DescriptionShield-like form made of copper with raised T-shape lines across face; copper colored geometric designs against a black background.Gallery LabelObjects of this type are so named in the English language because of the material from which they are made. They are unique to the Northwest Coast culture area and functioned within the region as symbols of wealth and prestige. There are various theories regarding their symbolism, including the representation of human beings. The Kwakwaka'wakw, for example, refer to the upper part as the face, the lower section as the hips and the T-shaped ridge as the backbone. This copper is painted black, and the image is created by leaving lines and forms of unpainted copper as negative areas. The design, which features wing feather motifs in the two lower sections, represents an eagle or thunderbird.
Torrence, Gaylord, ed. Continuum: North American Native Art at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Kansas City: Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.
Information about a particular artwork or image, including provenance information,
is based upon historic information and may not be currently accurate or complete.
Research on artwork and images is an ongoing process, and the information about a
particular artwork or image may not reflect the most current information available to the Museum.
If you notice a mistake or have additional information about a particular artwork or image,
please e-mail provenance@nelson-atkins.org.
