Polychromed Wood Headdress, Possibly Haida

Adelaide DeMenil and Edmund Carpenter
Private New York Collection

Houston Institute of the Arts
Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto
Seattle Art Museum
M.H.  DeYoung Museum, San Francisco
The St. Louis Art Museum

Holm & Reid, Indian Art of the Northwest Coast: A Dialogue on Craftsmanship and Aesthetics, Houston, 1975, p. 185

Art of the Northwest Coast

These six carved objects from the Economos Collection provide an intriguing glimpse into the world of Northwest Coast art. Known for its intensity and complexity, the rich history and cultural traditions of this region are as intriguing to us as those of Africa, Asia and the Pacific Islands.   

The Northwest Coast ranges from the Columbia River, which forms the border between the states of Washington and Oregon, to the southeastern rim of the Gulf of Alaska. It is a region known for its natural abundance where, presumably, the ease of hunting and gathering allowed for a more sedentary lifestyle, which in turn allowed more time for the act of creation.

Depictions of animals such as bears, birds and wolves commonly found in the material culture of the Northwest Coast related to their mythology and established symbolic ties to their ancestors. Masks, rattles, bowls and totems were highly prized possessions often used in ceremonial contexts and conveyed power and status within the tribe. In the most impressive examples of Northwest Coast art, a single object coveys a wealth of information that resonates with historical and mythological meaning.