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ITEM NUMBER: AK1694
Nisga'a (Nishga) Model Totem by Wilf Stevenson
$900
Description
Details
Dimensions
Nisga'a (Nishga) Model Totem by Wilf Stevenson. Wilf Stevenson was a Nisga’a (Nishga) carver from Greenville, British Columbia, who was active in the mid-20th century.
Originally creating brightly painted model poles for curio shops in and around the Prince Rupert area early in his career, Stevenson transitioned over to more deeply carved, unpainted, and formal iterations of Nisga’a art by the 1960s. Stevenson was especially known for making model poles, speaker’s staffs, and panels with low relief carved images of crest animals in profile. He also created the original model poles and plaques that were reproduced by the Kiana of Alaska company.
This pole is a transitional piece for Stevenson, showing some nods to his earlier work – such as the spread wings – but also connecting to his later artistic practice, with the primary forms being delineated in deep carving and being left unpainted.
This pole features, from top: Thunderbird, Bear, and Killer Whale, mounted on a Frog base. “Port Simson” [sic] is written on the bottom of the base, likely indicating that this pole was sold in the Tsimshian village of Port Simpson, BC, now called by its original Sm’algyax name of Lax Kwʼalaams. 11 1/2"H x 10"W, base 4" x 4"
Originally creating brightly painted model poles for curio shops in and around the Prince Rupert area early in his career, Stevenson transitioned over to more deeply carved, unpainted, and formal iterations of Nisga’a art by the 1960s. Stevenson was especially known for making model poles, speaker’s staffs, and panels with low relief carved images of crest animals in profile. He also created the original model poles and plaques that were reproduced by the Kiana of Alaska company.
This pole is a transitional piece for Stevenson, showing some nods to his earlier work – such as the spread wings – but also connecting to his later artistic practice, with the primary forms being delineated in deep carving and being left unpainted.
This pole features, from top: Thunderbird, Bear, and Killer Whale, mounted on a Frog base. “Port Simson” [sic] is written on the bottom of the base, likely indicating that this pole was sold in the Tsimshian village of Port Simpson, BC, now called by its original Sm’algyax name of Lax Kwʼalaams. 11 1/2"H x 10"W, base 4" x 4"
PERIOD: Mid 20th CenturyORIGIN: Northwest Coast - Alaskan, Native American
SIZE: 11 1/2"H x 10"W, base 4" x 4"
