Tawaquaptewa Terraced Face

Fine carving by Wilson Tawaquaptewa (1873-1960) one of the most renowned katsina artists in Hopi history. The colors are especially strong and bold on this example. As with all his carvings, this is not a real katsina. He modified them or made them up to protect his religious conviction that accurate representations should not be sold. This example has a terraced face similar to a Hiilili, but he has added a knob on the head like a Tasaf katsina. Therefore, this example can be said to be one of his “mixed up” types rather than “made up.” The carving is 10” tall plus a ¾” professional base. It has some old original cotton string on the left side of the head that once held feathers. For a detailed discussion of his life and work, see my book, “The Great Tradition of Hopi Katsina Carver, 1880 – Present” (2019; Rio Nuevo). This katsina came from  a Parisian collection. No restoration.