Sale 214 Lot 179

SIX SIGNED TED PUHUYESVA HOPI ARTIST SIGNED WUKOQOTE (BIG HEAD) CRADLE KACHINA DOLLS. Artist: TED PUHUYESVA. Six painted wooden Kachina dolls (or Katsina dolls) which are traditional ceremonial objects made by the Hopi people and other Pueblo tribes of the American Southwest, such as the Zuni and Tewa. They are representations of the Kachinas (spiritual beings who represent elements of the natural world, ancestors, or specific ceremonial figures) and are given to children (especially girls) as gifts to educate them about the spirit world and their religious traditions, not as actual toys. They are characterized by their simplified, blocky wooden bodies and heads, elaborate painting, and details like feathers, yarn, and natural fibers attached to the head.

ARTIST PROFILE: TED PUHUYESVA was from the Hopi village of Hotevilla, Ted produced humorous carvings, like his jack-o-lantern, modelled after Hopi cradle dolls traditionally given as gifts to babies and small children.
- Height: Approximately 7.25 inches (each).
$200-350