Catfish Clan Figure
Date19th - 20th century
Maker
Melanesian
Label TextHuman and catfish anatomy are joined here. Catfish spikes appear on the figure’s back and whiskers on its face, while the legs come together, thereby honoring a powerful mythic ancestor. Women were not allowed to see such figures—they were kept in clan houses and positioned to watch over male initiation rites and preparation for marriage.
Object number2020.5.2
ProvenanceCollected by [Barry Hoare, Madang, Papua
New Guinea], late 1960s; Allen Christensen Collection; sold to Mark Groudine, Seattle, Washington, 2009; to Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, Washington, 2020
Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Pacific Currents,
Mar. 15, 2015 - Apr. 22, 2018.
Seattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Pacific Species, Dec. 12, 2022 - ongoing.Credit LineGift of Mark Groudine and Cynthia Putnam
Dimensions51 x 4 1/2 x 5 in. (129.5 x 11.4 x 12.7 cm)
MediumWood and polychrome
Object number: 2005.60
log in
