Tawaquaptewa Big Ears & Polka Dots

Fine, classic carving by Wilson Tawaquaptewa (1873-1960). As village Chief (Kikmongwi) of the ancient Hopi village of Orayvi, he had important ceremonial roles. As a result, he intentionally distorted all this katsina carvings believing that accurate representations should not be sold. As I’ve written elsewhere (e.g. “The Great Tradition of Hopi Katsina Carvers,” 2019), he created carvings that were either “made up” entirely or “mixed up” combinations of actual katsinam. This made up example has oversized ears and lots of his trademark polka dots. The carving is 8 1/8″ tall and 3 1/4″ wide. When I acquired this carving, it was missing its snout. I studied many other examples of his work to ensure replacing the snout precisely. My professional restorer perfectly matched the rose color on the snout with the rose coloration on the ears, armbands and belt. A fine example by one of the most important Hopi carvers in history. I would date this to the 1940s.