The Art and the Romance of Indian Basketry: Clark Field Collection, Philbrook Art Center, Tulsa, 1964Field, Clark
History
The Art and the Romance of Indian Basketry: Clark Field Collection, Philbrook Art Center, Tulsa, 1964
Field, Clark
Indian baskets -- North America
The decorative motif of these baskets is actually thought of by the
_Pima_ weaver as a “progressive design,” rather than that of a squash
blossom. The design is executed in sequences of three to twelve petals,
one of a sequence to each basket. Only two complete sets (ten baskets to
a set) are known to exist. They are no longer made.
These baskets were used for such things as winnowing grain and gathering
fruit and vegetables.
(See Plate 9b)
PORCUPINE QUILL DECORATION
c. 1903
_Chippewa_—Minnesota
Case No. 2:
One of the finest examples of the Indian woman’s native creative arts is
found in porcupine quill decoration. The artist formerly prepared her
own dyes from berries, roots, barks, etc. Today, aniline dyes are used
almost exclusively. Steps used in the preparation of quills for bark
decoration are as follows:
The artist usually divides the quills into four lengths and stores
them in separate containers because they differ in length and
thickness (one to four inches long and 1/16 to 3/32 inches thick). The
quills are washed well in soap root before being dyed, and stored.
When she is ready to use the quills she softens them in her mouth. The
warmth and moisture are most effective and it is thought that the
saliva contains some special property that makes them more pliable.
She generally keeps a number of the quills of the same size and color
in one cheek with the points protruding from her lips, pulling out a
quill as it is needed. Small holes are punched in the bark with an awl
and the quill is inserted in these holes. The ends are bent over on
the back side of the bark to hold them in place. By using quills of
the desired length to fit the decoration, it is not necessary to cut
them. The quill swells and stiffens as it dries, making it even more
secure.
In most boxes, so decorated, a plain undecorated piece of bark is fitted
on the inside (or back side) to hide the raw ends of the quills. Three
to four thousand quills are required to cover a box the size of the one
shown in Plate 1a. Vegetable dyes were used on the quills of this box
and have not faded in more than fifty years.
(See Plate 1a)
MINIATURES
Case No. 2:
Indian women make these to show their skill in weaving. In similar
fashion, the Anglo has engraved the _Lord’s Prayer_ on the head of a
straight pin in order to illustrate his skill.
The principal, and interesting difference is: the Anglo uses a
magnifying glass and the Indian women do not.
MOOSE HAIR EMBROIDERY
c. 1875
_Huron_—Province of Quebec, Canada
Case No. 3:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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