Hopi
Early 20th century
Cottonwood root
Height 8"
Provenance: Private collection, Tucson, AZ
This tihu was carved from cottonwood root and carries a well-worn patina from handling and use, the condition of a doll that lived within a household rather than one preserved from the start for the collector's market. The blue face mask identifies this figure within the Hopi ceremonial cycle, and the paint surface retains its integrity despite the evident age and wear. At 8 inches in height it is a compact but forceful presence, the carving direct and confident in the manner of early 20th-century work.
Tihu, carved figures given by katsina dancers to children and young women during ceremonies, served as teaching objects, helping the young come to know the katsina beings central to Hopi religious life. The wear on this example is genuine, accumulated through years of handling rather than applied, and the surface has not been restored or touched up. An early 20th-century example in this condition represents the tradition at its most authentic.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Hopi
Early 20th century
Cottonwood root
Height 8"
Provenance: Private collection, Tucson, AZ
This tihu was carved from cottonwood root and carries a well-worn patina from handling and use, the condition of a doll that lived within a household rather than one preserved from the start for the collector's market. The blue face mask identifies this figure within the Hopi ceremonial cycle, and the paint surface retains its integrity despite the evident age and wear. At 8 inches in height it is a compact but forceful presence, the carving direct and confident in the manner of early 20th-century work.
Tihu, carved figures given by katsina dancers to children and young women during ceremonies, served as teaching objects, helping the young come to know the katsina beings central to Hopi religious life. The wear on this example is genuine, accumulated through years of handling rather than applied, and the surface has not been restored or touched up. An early 20th-century example in this condition represents the tradition at its most authentic.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
