Adze (xút.aa)

ca. 1870-1900

Tlingit

The most important implement in the artist’s tool box, the elbow adze works swiftly as an extension of the sculptor’s hand for roughing out the general shape of houseposts, canoes, feast dishes, masks and most other types of carving. Red cedar is soft, fine-grained and rot resistant—the perfect material used for just about everything—
thus its name “the tree of life."

Cherrywood, steel, and cotton twine

14 1/8 x 4 3/4 in. (35.9 x 12.07 cm)

Gift of John H. Hauberg

91.1.91

Now on view at the Seattle Art Museum

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