Canoe prow figure
ca. 1870
Large oceangoing canoes were the technological foundation of Haida life. They connected the island nation of Haida Gwaii with its neighbors, provided access to the wealth of the ocean, and allowed for the transport of goods and supplies in the important web of intercultural trade. A family would commission a highly trained specialist to burn, carve, and steam a cedar log up to sixty feet in length to create a canoe that was very effective in unpredictable seas, and which also served as an elegant sculpture bearing the paintings or carvings associated with family history. This bear head, which was once attached to the prow of a canoe, identified and protected its occupants.
Red cedar and paint
12 3/4 x 10 x 19 1/2 in. (32.39 x 25.4 x 49.53 cm)
Gift of John H. Hauberg
83.227
Provenance: B.A. Whelan {collected in 1895}; Lt. G. T. Emmons, until 1932; Denver Art Museum, Denver, Colorado, 1932-1960; Carlebach Gallery, New Work, New York, 1961. John H. Hauberg, Seattle, Washington, 1961-1983; Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, Washington
