Wooden carving representing a man with ceremonial hat with a totemic frog. Made of cedar. Painted red, blue, and black. Broken line painted on cheek of man may represent tears. "The pole is a cane, indicating an old man. The man is in dancing costume. The raven and frog go together. The frog shows membership in the frog clan. The hat with rings indicates a man of high standing. The rings represent the name-giving potlatch at which he has received the name of a deceased chief... (continued in Obj. Comments)
Donor:
Alaska Commercial Company, Benjamin Bristol, and Older University Collections
Collection place:
Northwest Coast, United States
Verbatim coll. place:
Northwest Coast
Culture or time period:
Tlingit
Collector:
unknown
Collection date:
unknown
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Carvings (visual works)
Accession date:
1904
Context of use:
May be a replica taken from a totem pole" (fide Charles Brown, June 1964).
Department:
Native US and Canada (except California)
Dimensions:
height 48 centimeters
Comment:
...The tear line and one side of the mustache cut off indicate mourning for a relative. The raven design on the hat can be recognized by raven's "ears"." (fide Charles Brown, June 1964). Remarks: Frog probably man's most important family crest. Published: "Art of the NW Coast Indians" Fig. 234; R.B. Inverarity; U.C. Press, 1950; Pacific Art Review, p. 30.
Loans:
S1945-1946 #4: Winfield Scott Wellington (March 11, 1946–October 28, 1955), S1951-1952 #1: University of California, Los Angeles (March 15, 1952–returned by 1957), S1952-1953 #2: California Palace of the Legion of Honor (dates unknown), S1963-1964 #9: UC San Francisco Medical Center (September 3, 1963–October 11, 1963), S1967-1968 #52: Fine Arts Patrons of Newport Harbor (December 28, 1967–March 19, 1968), S1974-1975 #41: Palo Alto Cultural Center (January 6, 1975–March 19, 1975), S1987-1988 #8: Monterey Museum of Art (August 21, 1987–November 25, 1987), and S1989-1990 #27: John G. Shedd Aquarium (July 15, 1990–January 24, 1992)