Dig It - 8/26/22
Dig It!
Art of the Woodland Indians is often forgotten in favor of the more well-known cultural areas such as the Plains, Southwest and Northwest Coast art. This is truly a shame because much of Woodland art, especially sculptural pieces such as this spoon, have a very powerful, reserved inner beauty.
This burl wood spoon probably dates to the mid-19th century and comes from the Eastern Great Lakes Peoples, such as the Iroquois or Anishnaabe. The sculpture is compact and monumental at the same time, sort of like a Japanese Netsuke. The finial of the spoon is carved in the likeness of an owl, possibly the owner’s totemic animal spirit. Woodland Indian art is an area worth investigating for any serious art collector.