Model totem pole, early period
Canada, Haida
not available anymore
Provenance
Joshua Dimondstein, Brussels, BelgiumSize
H: 20,5 cm
H: 8.1 inch
Description
bone, eyes with inlay from black material, red pigment remains, of traditional form with stacked animal figures, readable from the bottom to the top: beaver (tail with cross hatching, long incisors) with a frog to the front, two raven with pointed beaks, a further frog, crowned by a mask-like anthropomorphic face, very good condition, base;
Totem poles symbolize characters and events of a myth or relate the experiences of known ancestors or living people. Model totem poles became known by the Haida-artist Charles Edenshaw around 1900.