The Bowers Museum Blog

Korwar Figure from Cenderawasih Bay

2012-01-14T12:56:00.000-08:00

Ancestor Figure (Korwar), 19th Century
Cenderawasih (Geelvink) Bay, Papua (Irian Jaya) Province,
Indonesia, Melanesia
Wood; 6 ½ in.
85.24.1
Gift of Mr. Dwight V. Strong

The Korwar is a unique artistic motif that is identified with the people and cultures of Cenderawasih Bay. Also known as ancestor figures, Korwar figures are identified by their distinctive anchor-like noses and elegant open work carvings. Korwar figures are also noted for their unique abstraction of human form. The eyes of the Korwar are frequently embedded with blue glass beads. Popular design motifs include shields and snakes that serve as symbols of death and resurrection. The carving of a Korwar figure and its unique motifs involve a complex process which requires both spiritual and technical mastery. Thus, the clan religious expert who would carve the Korwar figure was also usually a master carver.

Korwar figures were created selectively. Because the figures housed one’s spirit, having a Korwar created for one was an honor. Those considered for the honor were usually individuals who performed a leadership function in life, such as a family head, clan head, or leader of an expedition. Others chosen were those who had died of a sudden or premature death. These people received a Korwar for their spirit due to the belief that they might haunt their family if they were too quickly forgotten.

The Korwar image played an active part in both the spiritual and visual expressions of daily life. Korwar figures like this one were typically placed in the family home. The Korwar functioned as an active presence in both the family and community. A Korwar figure was consulted for significant life events such as births, marriages, and deaths. They were thought to be able to heal the sick and ensure fertility in women. Korwar figures were also summoned for important communal ventures such as sea-faring journeys. In this case, the Korwar was petitioned for favorable winds and no rain. In addition, on head-hunting expeditions, the warriors would wear male Korwar amulets into battle. These amulets were thought to provide protection by blinding the enemy and rendering its own people invisible. Korwar figures were also feared by outsiders since it was believed that they could make someone ill or even kill them. Despite the esteemed place Korwar figures held in society, if a figure failed to perform its duties or its advice proved false, the owner would in some cases destroy it.

All text and images under copyright. For permission to use or citation information please contact the Collection Department. Information subject to change upon further research.

Remojadas Monumental Sculpture

2011-12-01T10:03:00.000-08:00

Standing Female Figure, c. 300-550 A.D.
Remojadas culture; Veracruz, Mexico
Ceramic and black pitch; 25 x 16 15/16 x 6 1/8 in.
2003.10.2
Gift of Peter G. Wray

The region of Veracruz in eastern Mexico has provided archaeologists with highly interesting objects that have helped them gain insight to culture, technological advances, artistic achievements and religious practices of preclassic Olmecs. Among these objects are large-scale hollow clay sculptures. These remarkable hand-modeled figurines from central and southern Veracruz are known as “Remojadas”, named after the region in Veracruz where they were excavated.

The sculptures range from 1’ to 2’ in size. Most of the Remojadas monumental sculptures of this type are represented standing with their arms held up in a ceremonial or dancing gesture, or with the arms down close to their thighs. Many of the figures are portrayed wearing headpieces with chin straps or short capes and have their face and body painted black. Some of these sculptures have been found in disconnected pieces and as result, the bodies may sometimes be reconstructed with ornaments, arms, legs or heads that do not belong to the original sculpture, making it a difficult task to categorize them chronologically and stylistically.

Remojadas figures are typically made of hollow tubes cut up to fit up against the torso and slipped into them. The head and neck are usually fitted over the hole in the top of the body. Clay is then added to smooth and strengthen the joint. Figures are dressed with flat layers of clay to make skirts or other clothing. Hands and feet join legs and arms and noses and jewelry are added last.

The figure shown here stands with her arms extended and palms turned up. This gesture may be one of welcome or greeting or possibly as a warning to an intruder of a tomb. The woman is dressed in what is possibly a ceremonial costume. She wears a wraparound skirt and her blouse, armbands and necklace are decorated with painted chapopote, natural shiny asphalt used to decorate or cover figurines. Her face and headdress also receive the same chapopote treatment. Many of the sculptures found represent deities. Some may represent a cihuacóatl, or woman snake, typically known as an evil deity.

All text and images under copyright. For permission to use or citation information please contact the Collection Department. Information subject to change upon further research.

Shasta Indian Feathered Headdress

2011-10-21T09:41:00.000-07:00

Feathered Headdress, c. 1920
Shasta people; Northern California
Flickertail feathers and string; 4 x 49 1/2 in.
F85.16.5
Gift In Name of Mrs. Hoiles

Recently, headbands have emerged as one of the trendiest accessories in fashion. However, Native American tribes in California and other parts of the Western United States were wearing exquisitely crafted and vibrantly colored feathered headdresses before even Chanel was a household name. This orange and black headdress, which is currently on display, is as enigmatic as it is beautiful.

This monochromatic headband was formed using the central tail feathers of the Red-shafted Flicker, a member of the woodpecker family, and multiple pieces of thread. Usually, headdresses such as these are found with diamond-shaped tips only going in one direction, but this one features feathers that have been placed in alternating directions that give the piece an undeniable symmetry and presence. Interestingly, in contrast to how one would expect the headdress to be worn, namely, encircling the head, the headdress was allowed to hang out on the sides unrestricted. The movement of the headdress and its inherent freedom mimics the free-spirited nature of Red-shafted Flicker from which it sources its feathers. While specifics regarding the headdress’ usage are indefinite, they are believed to play a role in the dancing rituals of the Shasta tribes. Moreover, it is not certain which of the Shastan subgroups this headdress came from as they all shared certain cultural material and did not restrict these feathered bands to only being worn on the head. One day soon we might see similar headdresses making their way down the runway in Paris, until then, we can admire the Shasta people’s sense of adornment right here at the Bowers Museum.

All texts and images are under copyright, please contact the Collection Department for permission to use. Information may change upon further research.

Bamana Komo Society Mask

2011-08-12T16:54:00.000-07:00

Komo Society Mask, late 19th-early 20th century
Bamana people; Mali
Wood, porcupine quill, horn, mud and sacrificial material; 14 ½ x 10 ½ x 20 in.
F77.21.15
Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Philip Keeve

Primarily agriculturalists, the Bamana people of Mali number about 1.5 million people. Agriculture plays an important role in their religion, evident in the various animal forms and materials that appear in their masks. Bambara religion is mainly fulfilled through the six initiatory societies, the N’domo, Komo, Nama, Kono, Tyiwara and Koré, all of which involve the usage of masks.

Pictured above is a Komo society mask, used in the second of the successive initiations that include masked dancers and sacrifices presented at the society’s altars. The purpose of Komo initiation is to commence the spirit of knowledge; to reveal to the Bamana boys self-knowledge and the advancement of personal qualities. The Bamana refer to the masks as komo kun, meaning “head of the Komo,” however more specific and individual names are also given to differentiate their special abilities. Common characteristics found in the majority of Komo masks include bird feathers and quills, porcupine quills, antelope horns, and mouths shaped similarly to those of a hyena. The hyena jaws give emphasis to the animal’s power and force, seen as symbol of knowledge. The masked dancers wear the Komo masks on the top of their heads, instead of in front of the face, and express their power through exhaling columns of embers or phosphorescent material. Other supernatural rituals are also practiced during the initiation with the goal to nurture balance in the community.

The Bamana continue through the other initiation societies with the belief that by pursuing demands of their religion they can surpass death and become achieve godliness.

All texts and images are under copyright, please contact the Collection Department for permission to use. Information may change upon further research.

Dress of Hortensia Yorba Palomares, c.1890

2011-07-22T12:16:00.000-07:00

Dress, c. 1897
California
Silk and lace; 58 3/4 x 20 1/8 in.
80.18.1a,b
Gift of Mrs. Paul Stein

Fashionable women’s clothing of the 1890’s reflected a time of enormous social change marked by the burgeoning independence of women’s suffrage and the strides in social reform. Women’s styles of the Victorian era, which were characterized by bustles, stiff crinolines and ornate decoration, were slowly replaced by greater comfort and a more relaxed silhouette that would be the hallmark of the Edwardian period. This beautiful gown was worn by Hortensia Yorba Palomares, and is a stunning example of the simple elegant beauty of gowns from that period. This silk gown actually features two pieces: a trumpet-shaped gored panel skirt in a yellow-green shade trimmed with bright red silk bands forming a unique decorative pattern and a form-fitting boned bodice edged with 4” lace and trimmed with a small red sash, bows at the shoulders and a bow at the waist. This beautiful dress created an hourglass profile popularized by illustrator Charles Gibson’s fictional “Gibson Girl” character that personified a new standard of feminine ideal and coveted style.

Hortensia Yorba Palomares was a descendant of the Palomares family who built the Ygnacio Palomares Adobe. Now a national historical landmark, the adobe was once the center of the thriving 22,000 acre Rancho San Jose consisting of land from the Mission San Gabriel and land now part of the cities of Pomona, LaVerne, San Dimas, Diamond Bar, Azusa, Covina, Walnut, Glendora, and Claremont. In 1911, California’s Poet Laureate John Steven McGroarty wrote “The Mission Play”, an epic theatrical production that was staged adjacent to the Mission San Gabriel and dramatized the founding, the rise and the fall of California’s Franciscan Missions. This dress is believed to have also been worn by an actress who portrayed one of the main characters of the play, Senora Josefa Yorba. This gown is not only highly regarded for its beauty, but also as an important cultural artifact from California’s rich historical past.

All texts and images are under copyright, please contact the Collection Department for permission to use. Information may change upon further research.

Over Modeled Skull from the Papua New Guinea

2011-07-08T13:52:00.000-07:00

Over Modeled Skull, 20th Century
Middle Sepik River area, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea, Melanesia
Human skull, clay, pigment, shell, and human hair; 5 7/8 x 5 7/8 x 7 15/16 in.
99.43.9
Donated by Rear Admiral Ralph and Sara Garrison

This over modeled skull is a funerary ritual object from the Middle Sepik River area in Papua New Guinea and can be witnessed up-close in the Bowers’ ongoing exhibition Spirits and Headhunters: Art of the Pacific Islands. Chilling and hauntingly unique, this example of Melanesian culture was not created in an artisanal vacuum, but rather took on subjectivity in a complex series of negotiations and processes between the worlds of the living and the dead and between the individual and society. The over modeling process was not an end in itself but a mediary between a primary and secondary burial of the deceased’s remains, further complicated by sets of mourning rituals, ranging from the celebratory to the silent.

The over modeling process, examples of which can be seen all over the world across the ages, is part of a particularly rich and captivating tradition in the South Pacific islands that begins surprisingly not immediately after death, but after the body has been processed through the village and mourned for the first time, and buried for a variable period of time. After the grave is opened, the actual human skull that is simultaneously hidden and echoed by the red clay, shells, white pigment, and actual human hair that adorn it, is cleaned and prepared to receive the treatment visible here. The transformation from a literal bone white skeletal canvas back into the fleshy likeness of the deceased is not carried out by kin, but by the most able artisan, a choice that reflects this culture’s appreciation for skill and distinguished craftsmanship. The clay and bone—the soft and hard, masculine and feminine—coming together represents life’s opposites and the complementarity experienced in everyday life. Finally, the finished over modeled skull, the final design of which is believed to be approved by the deceased himself, is carried through the village and mourned yet again in a variety of ways. The diversity and complexity of Melanesian funerary rites and the over modeled skulls that figure so prominently in them are but one of the reasons that make the cultures of the South Pacific so intriguing to so many.

All text and images under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change upon further research.

Tunic and Skirt from Hainan Island

2011-06-17T14:57:00.000-07:00

Tunic and Skirt, 20th century
Li people; Hainan Island, China
Linen and cotton;38 x 28 in.
2008.6.16
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Danny and Anne Shih

In the past, China’s Han people, the majority ethnic group in China, and their culture were the primary focus of academic investigation in many fields of study, including art history. Such a narrow scope severely limited a complete understanding of the region’s peoples and ignored the fact that the Han people are only one of 56 officially recognized ethnicities in China. Recently, however, the spotlight has been turned from the center to China’s peripheral cultures not only to increase understanding and awareness of those cultures, but also to assert their significance.

This tunic and skirt are exemplary examples of the material and visual culture of Southwest China’s Li people who live in the island of Hainan’s mountainous interior off the coast of the Chinese mainland. Both Li men and women wear skirts. Difference of gender is not signified by clothing, but rather through the tattooing of women’s faces, chests, arms, legs, and occasionally, their backs. This penchant for decoration is clearly visible in the colorful hand-woven cotton tunic and skirt that harmoniously blend areas of solid black with sections of highly stylized animal imagery. Although mystical dragons are visible in the left and right panels of the tunic, it is actually the playful frogs that one sees that are most sacred to the Li people. They revere the frog because according to their legends, the Li are actually descendents of ancient frogs. This connection to frogs is played out in the majority of Li visual and material culture and as this example shows, the frog motif is meticulously and vibrantly executed to not only show the weaver’s skillful hand, but also the eventual wearer’s everyday devotion to his or her ancestral past.

All text and images are under copy right. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

Ito Jakuchu's Masterpiece: "Birds, Animals, and Flowering Plants in Imaginary Scene"

2011-06-10T15:13:00.002-07:00

Birds, Animals, and Flowering Plants in Imaginary Scene
Itō Jakuchū (1716-1800)
Edo Period, 18th century
Pair of six-panel folding screens, ink and colors on paper
Each: 168.7 x 374.4 cm
Courtesy of the Etsuko and Joe Price Collection

These paintings are remarkable in thousands of ways – about 43,000 to be exact. That is roughly the number of squares that comprise each extraordinary masterpiece. Each figure is depicted using a different arrangement of squares and colors. Look at the robin. It is singing, walking along the bottom of the screen, composed of squares within squares and colors, arranged as never before, to produce the image of a robin that is alive and as alert as if it were captured by a camera.

Usually such strict geometrical patterns would come across as stiff and lifeless. Yet, the goose is awake and alert, and the ones behind him are relaxed in sound sleep. This attention to true nature is a trait characteristic of Jakuchū.

These screens, over their two hundred plus years of existence, have had heavy wear. Jakuchū used materials that he was not accustomed to and the coarse mineral colors, especially the blue, have not proven to be very stable.

“I believe that Jakuchū developed this style of painting to excuse the fact that these were imaginary animals he had never seen. He created an imaginary way to justify imaginary characters.” – Joe Price

Itō Jakuchū: A Man with No Age was exhibited at the Bowers Museum from April 16 - June 12, 2011.

All text and images under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use.

Central Asian Memorial Posts at the Bowers

2011-06-10T14:55:00.000-07:00

Memorial Statues (Balbals), reproductions
Mongolia and Central Asia
Gift of National Museum of History, Taipei

The Bowers’ grounds are home to two statues that you may or may not have passed without even realizing it. One of the two stands sentry at the Main Street entrance to the museum while the other sits next to a small fountain and trees in the courtyard. These statues are actually depictions of people, and although they are reproductions, the statues are representative of an art form that was used for over three millennia to memorialize the dead.

Known as Kurgan stelae or Balbals, these memorial statues are types of stelae, stone markers used to commemorate people or events. The balbals depict people, and thus are memorial markers for the dead. The earliest known balbal dates to approximately the 4th millennium BC while the latest dates to the Middle Ages. The numerous examples are found most often in areas of burial; however they are not isolated to one particular place or geographic region. Large groups of balbals have been found in Southern Russia, Ukraine, Prussia, southern Siberia, Central Asia, and Mongolia. They have also been found in the Eurasian Steppe regions, Saudi Arabia, and Anatolia.

The varied geographic and cultural locations of the balbals provide for artistic variation. Different types of stone and designs are used. Undoubtedly, this has to do with the fact that the balbals were memorializing people. Therefore, just as no two people are alike, a balbal preserves the individuality of the person it was created for. Design varied, but many balbals have been found in conic and flat form. Balbals also varied in purpose. Some are found atop kurgans, or tumulus, and some are buried in graves. Others serve more specific purposes. For example, a group of balbals could function as a fence for a sacred area, or as place where sacrificial offering were received.

All text and images under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

Itō Jakuchū (1716-1800)

2011-05-25T16:11:00.000-07:00

Itō Jakuchū (1716-1800) was the eldest son of Itō Genzaemon, a grocer whose shop was located in the Nishiki food district in downtown Kyoto. After his father died in 1739, Jakuchū ran the shop until 1755, when he turned it over to one of his brothers in order to focus on painting.

His training in painting was inspired by nature as well as by the Chinese paintings he was able to examine in Kyoto’s Zen Buddhist temples. Some sources indicate that he may have studied with Ōoka Shunboku, an Osaka-based artist known for his bird-and-flower paintings. Though a number of his paintings depict exotic or fantastic creatures, such as tigers and phoenixes (which he had never seen), it is evident from the detail and lifelike appearance of his paintings of chickens and other animals that he based his work on actual observation.

In his early thirties, Jakuchū built a two-story studio on the west bank of the Kamo River and called it Shin'en-kan (Villa of the Detached Heart [or Mind]), after a phrase from a poem by the ancient Chinese poet Tao Qian. It was around this time that Jakuchū befriended Daiten Kenjō, a Rinzai monk who would later become abbot of the Kyoto temple Shōkoku-ji. Through this friendship Jakuchū gained access to the temple's large collection of Chinese and Japanese paintings, and gained introduction to new social and artistic circles. It is thought that Daiten may have been the one to first conceive of the name "Jakuchū," taken from the Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching) and meaning "like the void."

Itō Jakuchū: A Man with No Age was exhibited at the Bowers Museum from April 16 - June 12, 2011.

All text and images under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use.

Bayaka Initiation Mask

2011-05-20T13:43:00.000-07:00

Initiation Mask, 20th century

Bayaka people; Democratic Republic of Congo

Wood, raffia and paint; 25 x 17 x 11 in.

F74.12.2

Bowers Museum Purchase

Much importance is placed on the training and initiation of Bayaka boys for adulthood. Young boys of puberty age are trained in the n-khanda or bush school located in an isolated area away from the village. There the initiates are instructed in the traditions of the tribe, are ruled with an iron discipline, systematically hazed to test their endurance and trained in a profession. As long as a year may be required to complete their training which culminates with a n-khanda ceremony when they return to the village. The celebration held at this time is a great event in the lives of all villagers. Each initiate wears a mask and participates in the ceremonial dance. There are varying styles of masks but a few features are standard: the face is painted white to resemble the face of the dead and symbolizes the boy's "death" as a child and his rebirth as an adult, a full member of society. Each mask is crowned with a decorative arrangement: figures, animal heads or mythological scenes.

All text and images under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

Tobacco Quilt, Trade Cards & Early American Advertising

2011-05-14T07:54:00.000-07:00

Flag Quilt, c. 1915
Maker unknown; American
Cotton and wool;
61 1/2 x 75 1/2 in.
31932
Gift of Mrs. I. Kalebaugh

The many different printed flannel rectangles that make up the design of this quilt’s top were not handmade by the quilt maker. Rather, they were received upon the purchase of a pack of cigarettes. Known as tobacco flannels, the novelties were produced and distributed in the United States during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The flannels certainly became items that were eagerly collected, and this sales gimmick served as advertisement, and increased sales for, tobacco companies at a time when a national form of product advertising did not yet exist. Thousands of different subjects from fruit and flowers to baseball players and the flags of countries worldwide, as seen in the quilt featured here, were distributed. Piecing together the flannels, quilters created some of the most striking and unusual quilts that immortalize subjects of interest to Americans of the period.

The Last Look, 1892
Advertising Trade Card for “Newsboy” Plug Tobacco
Color lithograph on paper; 3 x 6 in.
34384.1
Gift of Dr. & Mrs. Vernor G. Rich

Like tobacco flannels, advertising trade cards and printed pictures appeared in the 1870s when manufacturers and producers of American trade goods began to expand product distribution. Handed out by merchants, or acquired by sending in proofs-of-purchase to manufacturers, the cards sang the praises and qualities of almost every product worthy of mention. Tobacco companies placed one trade card in each pack of ten cigarettes and asked merchants to display the examples of pictures to be had in their shop windows. The cards depicted a myriad of general subjects that captured American living, fashion, thoughts and ideas of beauty. Collectible series of cards for both tobacco and other products included Bible Verses, Birds, Views of California and Natives in Costume. The interest in images of foreign people, places and their flags reflects the curiosity and changing worldview of turn-of-the-century Americans.

Advertising Trade Card for Allen & Ginters Cigarette Co.; Richmond, Virginia
Color lithograph on paper; 2.75 x 1.5 in.
34384.2
Gift of Dr. & Mrs. Vernor G. Rich

All text and images under copyright. Please contact the Collection Department for permission to use.Information subject to change with further research.

Tigers Sprang from the Artist's Imagination

2011-05-06T13:58:00.000-07:00

Tiger
Itō Jakuchū (1716-1800)
Edo period, dated Hōreki 5 (1755)
Hanging scroll, ink and colors on silk
129.7 x 71 cm

Prominently displayed in the gallery, and a favorite among many, is Jakuchū's painting titled Tiger. Though they had never seen live tigers, Japanese artists used tiger skins as inspiration for their paintings. Problems arose, however, from trying to imagine this dried skin as a living animal. In the course of doing so, the tigers became quite comical with exaggerated features including enormous eyes, shrunken ears, flat noses, and massive paws. The overall disposition or character of the animal is always dependent upon the imagination of the artist.

The contrast of the rough, quick brush strokes of the sumi tree in this Jakuchū painting, and the precise, even delicate work in the tiger shows Jakuchū’s skill at its finest. Jakuchū painted Tiger in the early summer of 1755, the year he handed over the family’s greengrocer business to his younger brother in order to pursue of a life solely dedicated to painting. On the painting, Jakuchū wrote “When painting a material phenomenon, I would not paint it but from truth. Because there are no ferocious tigers in Japan, I have imitated the painting of (the Chinese Southern Song artist) Mao Yi.”

“Japanese paintings of tigers have always been a favorite of mine, for the artist must have used his own originality. The variety of the results is amazing.” – Joe Price

Itō Jakuchū: A Man with No Age was exhibited at the Bowers Museum from April 16 - June 12, 2011.

All text and images under copyright and may not be copied, printed or published without permission from the lender.

Exhibition Highlight from Ito Jakuchu: A Man with No Age

2011-04-27T15:24:00.000-07:00

Rooster, Hen, and Hydrangeas

Itō Jakuchū (1716-1800)

Edo Period, 18th Century

Hanging Scroll, ink and colors on silk

140cm x 85 cm

Courtesy of the Etsuko and Joe Price Collection

Jakuchū undoubtedly was fascinated by chickens and roosters, as seen by his many depictions of fowl in his works. He studied them wholeheartedly, reportedly following them around for hours. This work epitomizes Jakuchū’s intense love for nature. Surrounded by roses and hydrangeas, a rooster flaunts his dramatic feathers in front of the shy hen he courts. Jakuchū intensifies the painting’s complex design through painstaking detail. The roses in the lower right corner are not painted over the hen or the foliage behind them. The lightest color of their petals is just the pure exposed silk of the scroll. Moreover, observe the rooster’s tail feathers; they are not painted over the deep blue hydrangeas. Again, the pure color of the silk shows through.

Rooster, Hen, and Hydrangeas seems to date somewhere between 1755-1757, when Jakuchū handed over his family’s greengrocer business to his brother, after which Jakuchū devoted his life solely to painting. Jakuchū painted this scroll in a small studio in Kyoto. There are also two seals alongside his signature that also appear on the painting Mandarin Ducks amid Snow-Covered Reeds, which indicates that the two paintings were probably produced around the same time.

“I saw this painting at a dealer’s shop at the same time as Mandarin Ducks amid Snow-Covered Reeds. I could not afford to buy both so I just bought Rooster, Hen, and Hydrangeas, since I already owned a similar painting to Mandarin Ducks. Though when I went home and looked at my version of the mandarin ducks, it was not nearly as good as the one I had just seen.” – Joe Price

In order to preserved their beauty for future generations, the beautiful paintings premiered in the exhibition Itō Jakuchū: A Man with No Age are on view only through June 12, 2011 to preserve their beauty for future generations.

All text and images under copyright and may not be copied, printed or published without pemission from the lender.

Civil War Officer's Frock Coat

2011-04-12T16:01:00.000-07:00

Officer’s Frock Coat, 19th century
Civil War period; American
Wool and brass; 45 x 19 in.
3465
Gift of Mrs. G.A. Ensinger

This date, April 12, marks the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War. April 12, 1861 is remembered not only as the date that a group of Confederate soldiers attacked and captured a United States’ military installation at Fort Sumter, South Carolina, but also as the moment when the United States of America was thrust into one of the most pivotal and violent periods of its illustrious history. This double-breasted Union officer’s frock coat belonged to Colonel Carl Jayne. The buttons on this coat all bear the same design: the Great Seal of the United States represented by an eagle above a shield that is clenching arrows and branches in its talons and is surrounded by stars. This patriotic symbol indeed reminded soldiers like Colonel Jayne that they were fighting for freedom and the preservation of the United States as a nation. Thanks to the many thousands of brave soldiers who fought in the Civil War, this message still strikes a chord in the hearts of Americans far and wide.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

Feathered "Kurdaitcha" Moccasins

2011-03-11T12:26:00.000-08:00

Pair of Ceremonial Feathered Moccasins (bottom view), date unknown

Aboriginal people; Western Australia

Fiber, emu feather and human hair; 5 x 9 x 1 in.

92.3.1.1-.2

Gift of Mr. George Brook

At first glance, the view of the bottom of this pair of oval-shaped shoes may inspire thoughts of comfort. Its emu feathers and thick fiber weave would possibly give the wearer's feet special treatment. Despite the soothing feelings these shoes might invoke, becoming aware of their purpose as well as the other materials used to create them undoubtedly will change one's opinion.

Created by aboriginal peoples in Western Australia, these shoes, known as kurdaitcha shoes, are associated with evil actions and magic. In fact, the shoes are considered so evil that when not in use, they are carefully hidden from the sight of women and children. The emu feathers and fibers are matted and held together through the use of human blood and hair. Men who don the shoes become associated with and act as Kurdaitcha, an evil spirit being who pursues human victims with the intention to kill. When Kurdaitcha selected a victim, they would be ritually killed with a weapon and restored to life through the use of magic. It was not until the victim returned to his home or village that he met his horrible fate.

Discovering the oval-shaped footprint of the kurdaitcha shoe understandably struck fear into the hearts of entire groups of people. The official use of these shoes allowed for groups of men in avenging parties to use them to frighten their enemies. The men would wear the shoes as they carefully and quietly walked through their foe's lands. When discovered, the footprints caused great amounts of terror and hysteria ensued. The enemies were not just frightened by the fact that their foes had gained access to their lands, but were also troubled by the fact that the footprints might possibly belong to Kurdaitcha himself. What was even more frightening was that while the shoes had a specific, official use, in some cases men used them to serve their own personal needs. The horrifying mystery of the Kurdaitcha prints certainly sent a message to all whose eyes gazed upon the oval-shaped tracks.

All text and images under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with research.

Mrs. Ada E. Bowers and her Memorial Fountain

2011-03-01T08:46:00.000-08:00

Mrs. Ada Elvira Bowers c. 1915

Eighty years ago this week, Mrs. Ada Bowers passed away and left both the city of Santa Ana and Orange County with a wonderful gift. It was Ada’s death on February 28, 1931 that allowed the building of the Charles W. Bowers Memorial Museum to commence. The couple had decided that upon their deaths, their home would be conveyed to the City of Santa Ana with the condition that the city would, within one year of the death of the surviving member of the couple, begin to construct the Charles W. Bowers Memorial Museum. It is undoubtedly true that so many years later, Orange County residents and certainly people from all over the world are more than grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Bowers for their generous bequest.

Ada E. Bowers Memorial Fountain c. 1980

Born Ada Elvira Abbot from Perry, Illinois, Mrs. Ada Bowers enjoyed a quiet life with her husband. While Mr. Bowers’ name is very closely associated with the museum, Mrs. Bowers’ mark on the museum is also apparent. Through a special trust created by Mr. and Mrs. Bowers, funds were set aside for a fountain to be built on the premises of the museum. The wonderful fountain that was created for the museum, known as the Ada E. Bowers Memorial Fountain, now greets visitors and also offers them not only beauty, but also California history.

Ada E. Bowers Memorial Fountain, 2009

The Bowers Museum has deep gratitude for Mrs. Ada E. Bowers. Her generosity has given so many individuals, past and present, the opportunity to experience history in a unique and memorable environment.

All text and images under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with additional research.

Bowers Museum's 75th Anniversary on FOX 11 News

2011-02-17T10:06:00.000-08:00

Julie Lee, Bowers Museum's Curator of Exhibitions, gives FOX 11's very own Rick Lozano a tour and revealed some "inside" stories during the Bowers Museum's recent 75th anniversary celebration.

Bowers Museum presented with Santa Ana City Proclamation

2011-02-11T10:47:00.000-08:00

Thank you Santa Ana! On February 7, 2011 Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido, on behalf of the City Council, presented Julie Lee, Curator of Exhibitions at the Bowers Museum, with a City Proclamation in recognition of Bowers Museum’s 75th Anniversary and more specifically for being one of the country's most important mid-size museums, playing a very important role in Southern California and Orange County Arts, forging partnerships with some of the greatest museums in the world and enriching lives through the world's finest arts and cultures.

Dr. Alan Houston - Guest Scholar for "Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World

2011-01-29T18:53:00.000-08:00

Don't miss the Distinguished Lecture of Dr. Alan Houston, Saturday February 5 at 1:30 PM.

Learn more

(Book Signing at 3:00 PM)
Member $12 / Non-Member $15

Dr. Alan Houston, renowned British and American scholar, gained international attention after a remarkable discovery of Benjamin Franklin letters which had not been seen in more than 250 years. Dr. Houston's engaging lecture, based on his critically acclaimed book, explores Franklin’s thoughts on themes such as freedom, slavery, trade, and immigration, which are still relevant today.

Purchase Dr. Houston's book, "Benjamin Franklin & the Politics of Improvement" in our Gallery Store. ($35.00)

Karawari Cave Figure

2011-01-05T10:24:00.000-08:00

Cave Figure (Aripa), c. 1600-1800
Ewa people; Karawari River area, Middle Sepik River region, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea
Wood and paint; 20 1/2 in.
F81.2.3
Bowers Museum Foundation Acquisition Fund Purchase

This intricately shaped and designed figure is stunning not only visually, but also historically. This cave figure was found along the Karawari River region of Papua New Guinea and is noteworthy because it belongs to a group of elaborate woodcarvings that make up the earliest examples of wood carved art from Melanesian to survive in significant numbers. As such, cave figures like this one tell an important story about the people who created it and their idea of preservation.

This cave figure was carved and used by the Ewa people - one of the largest and most important cultural groups to inhabit the middle Sepik River region. Artistic style, as well as conception, varies greatly among the numerous cultures in the Sepik region and understanding of subjects and artistic content are anything but similar from people to people. Thus, this cave figure represents the unique artistic conception of the Ewa people alone.

Cave figures take on several different forms and are meant to represent supernatural beings. The subject represented in this cave figure is Aripa, one of the most frequently represented subjects. A representation of many spirits located inside of the figure itself, Aripa functioned as a source of help and guidance for Ewa men. Cave figures such as this one specifically provided hunters with assistance. Kept inside the men’s ceremonial house, the spirits who resided inside the cave figures were activated through incantations and magical practices. When the owner of a cave figure died, the carving was moved to a cave-like rock shelter and served as a memorial. This practice shielded the cave figures from harsh environmental factors, offered protection for the memorial, and also preserved the craftsmanship and ceremonial tradition of the Ewa people for future generations. Remains of paint can still be seen on this archaic sculpture.

All text and images under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with additional research.

Heart of Mary by Miguel Ballejo y Mandirano

2010-12-23T17:19:00.000-08:00

Heart of Mary, c. 1750
Miguel Ballejo y Mandirano (Spanish, b?-d?)
Oil on canvas; 30 x 22 in.
89.22.2
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Gene Wood

Heart of Mary is a painting rich with religious symbolism and ideology. It is common of religious paintings made during the Spanish Colonial period to emphasize the teachings of the Catholic Church. The painter Miguel Ballejo y Mandirano is listed in artist registries as active in the 18th century, but he still remains largely unknown or documented. This painting once hung in the Mission Inn of Riverside before donated to the Bowers Museum.

Although the images in the painting are somewhat graphic and shocking, they represent a very sacred aspect of Roman Catholicism - the devotion of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This devotion refers to the image of Mary as the Sorrowful Mother and is a prayer about the hardship and sorrow she felt throughout her life. Mary’s seven sorrows are: the prophecy of Simeon, the flight to Egypt, the loss of the child Jesus in the temple, witnessing Jesus carry his cross, the crucifixion, removing Jesus from the cross, and the burial of Jesus. Each of the six circles surrounding the image of the heart frames one of the seven sorrows. The image above the heart of the crucified Jesus Christ is not in circle, but is located in the middle of all of the other events, representing one of the most sorrowful occurrence in Mary’s life.

Scripture suggests that Mary’s soul would be pierced as a result of the events that would occur in her son’s life. Usually, artistic representations of this scriptural passage show an image of Mary with a dagger or sword through her chest. Interestingly, the artist instead depicts the heart pierced by swords that branch out from each of the seven scenes of sorrows.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department to use. Information subject to change with additional research.

Ben Franklin - Behind the Scenes

2010-12-02T21:28:00.000-08:00

Only two weeks until the anticipated exhibition Ben Franklin: In Search of a Better World opens at the Bowers. Our Registration and Collection staff members began uncrating and inspecting the condition of the 18th century items that belonged to and shaped the ideas of prolific inventor, civic leader, diplomat, profound thinker, printer and humorist Ben Franklin.

Handling artifacts and works of art takes concentration and the skill of trained professionals. Staying focused and remembering the task at hand is sometimes difficult when you have Ben Franklin’s personal wallet (still holding a note to buy rum and tea) or a founding document of the United States in your hands. In the picture above Director of Registration, Jennifer Ring, inspects A pocket amanack for the year 1757 and another from 1759. Near her is a copy of The Constitutions of the Free-Masons (1734) and the Catalog of Books Belonging to the Library Company of Philadelphia (1741), the earliest surviving list of the 375 holdings of the first lending library (one of many civic improvements implemented by Franklin).

Above, Bowers’ staff along with exhibition Registrar Kathy Hill make detailed reports on the condition of the first uncrated artifacts. In the foreground is the famous Unite or Die (1754) woodcut cartoon published by Franklin. The cartoon, illustrating a rattlesnake cut into several parts, urges for the colonies to join together against the French. The same cartoon would be used again to drum up support and emotion in the period preceeding the Revolutionary War. Also in view is a copy of Poor Richard’s Almanac (1749), a published series compiled and printed by Franklin containing useful information related to astronomy and meteorology, in combination with entertaining proverbs, humor and poetry. Below, Collections Assistant, Laura McGovern inspects Plain Truth; or Serious Considerations On the Present State of the City of Philadelphia, and Province of Pennsylvania (1747), also printed by Franklin. Inside, “The Waggoneer and Hercules” (an illustrated representation of one of Aesop’s Fables, and considered the first American political cartoon) is printed as Franklin’s attempt to urge western Pennsylvanians to defend themselves against Indian attacks.

Many more artifacts remain to be seen, each directly relates to an aspect of Franklin’s extraordinary life. Bowers is pleased to be the only venue on the West Coast to host the exhibition of national treasures and the personal belongings of a true American icon. Visit www.bowers.org for more information.

All text and images under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use.

Yami Canoe

2010-11-19T15:48:00.001-08:00

Canoe, 20th century
Gaoshan culture; Lanyu (Orchid) Island, Taiwan
Wood, paint and feather; 35 x 106 in.
97.8.1
Gift of Leon Chen

The large canoe that sits prominently in the John Lee Court is not an object that is easily missed. Upon entry into the Court, museum visitors’ attention is almost immediately captivated by the incredible size and rich detail of this canoe. Although the canoe is made of the simple materials of wood, paint and feathers, the canoe functions as both a practical and honorary object.

The Yami are one of the groups of people that make up the Gaoshan culture. This cultural group can be found in the mountain areas of central Taiwan, the Zonggu Plain of eastern Taiwanand on Lanyu, or Orchid, Island. Some Yami reside on Orchid Island. Fishing is their livelihood, so canoes like this one are used as tools to achieve a prosperous life. Each boat can hold approximately twelve people. The method for making these canoes has been passed down orally through time. This oral tradition makes it possible for the Yami to continue to make the canoes by hand in the present day.

Although the canoes have a very practical purpose, they also represent the history of the Yami. The decoration on the canoe depicts and honors the Yami’s ancestral hero, Magamaog. Mgamaog is credited with teaching the Yami agricultural and boat building methods. Because of his importance to the people’s survival, he is depicted not only on canoes, but also on house posts and ceremonial items. He is frequently represented as a figure that somewhat resembles a plant. Spirals shoot out of his arms, sides of his head, and the top of his head. This representation can be seen spanning the length of this canoe.

All text and images under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with additional research.

Wells Fargo Strong Box

2010-10-13T14:20:00.000-07:00

Wells Fargo Strong Box, c.1855
California
Wood, iron, leather, and paint; 10 1/2 x 21 1/2 x 14 in.
32739B
Gift of Mr. Eugene H. Hite, Sr.

The need for a reliable delivery system arose as Americans moved west in the 1800s, seeking gold and land for settlement. Anticipating this need, Wells Fargo and Company was founded in 1852 in San Francisco. Their banking services provided new settlers with a sense of security, and they quickly became renowned for their rapid and reliable delivery of mail and valuable goods. The first Wells Fargo office in Santa Ana was located in William Spurgeon’s downtown store in 1874.

The strong boxes used by Wells Fargo during this time were constructed from oak and pine with reinforcing iron straps. They were carried on stagecoaches to transport items such as gold, silver, legal papers, checks, drafts, and mail from bank to bank.

Wells Fargo eventually grew to become the nation’s first coast-to-coast express delivery company and by 1918, it reached ten thousand communities across the United States. During World War I the nation's delivery routes were nationalized to support American efforts. Wells Fargo was left with their banking services, which continue to exist today.

All text and images under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with additional research.

Spirit Figure (Du-legba)

2010-09-30T11:17:00.000-07:00

Du-legba, 20th century
Ewe culture; Ghana
Mud, cloth, horn and cowrie shell
2003.21.1
Gift of Atascadero Oaks Investors, L.P. on behalf of Mr. Bill McComas

Male and female du-legba spirit figures flank the roads that lead into the Ewe towns of Ghana. Sheltered under a small thatch-roofed structures, the figures made of cement or clay are embodiments of benevolent spirits that bring general protection and well-being to the town inhabitants (the figures have no influence beyond the boundaries of their town). On occasion a lone figure may be found at the center of a town, likely the result of the town’s expansion. Commonly their genitalia are found prominently displayed, and cowrie shells, animal horns and cloth define and adorn their physical attributes. The du-legba are ritually fed with offerings of potent herbs and other sacrificial foods specific to each figure’s gender, which activates and ensures their powers.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact the Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with additional research.

Human Tooth Necklace (Vuasagale)

2010-09-30T11:11:00.000-07:00

Human Tooth Necklace (Vuasagale), 18th – 19th Century

Fiji, Polynesia

Human tooth and fiber

Jordan Community Trust Purchase

2010.1.2

A braided fiber strand holds together the 203 human teeth that make up this extraordinary necklace. Only two types of teeth, the incisors and canines, were used in the necklace’s construction; this is to say that the necklace carries nearly 60 (and likely closer to 100) individuals’ teeth. Each tooth has been carefully extracted so that the root of the tooth, which has been perforated to allow the passing of the cord, has stayed in tact.

Teeth from a variety of land and sea animals are commonly used throughout the Pacific region cultures for payment or trade, personal adornment, prestige items and status symbols. Human teeth are sometimes found imbedded in carved objects; Fijian wood clubs, for example, are sometimes inlaid with human teeth signifying a kill made by the weapon. Few human tooth necklaces, especially those with such an accumulation of teeth, have been documented, with known examples coming from Fiji, Kiribati and New Zealand - three culturally unique island groups separated by thousands of miles of ocean.

Several early accounts of Europeans to New Zealand describe encounters with people adorned in human tooth ear pendants and necklaces. Still little is understood about the history or exact meaning of these necklaces, surely the coveted belongings of those who held chiefly or high status. Whether the teeth came from one’s ancestors or from the mouths of enemies, each tooth would have been viewed as a representation or an embodiment of the deceased, a power that was transferred to the wearer.

Previously in the collections of John Friede, Wayne Heathcote and the Masco Corporation.

All text and images under copyright. Please contact the Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change upon further research.

Shrunken Head (Tsantsa)

2010-08-27T12:17:00.000-07:00

Early 20th century
Shuar culture; Ecuador
F83.7.1
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Donald A. and Carolyn Honer

The taking and shrinking of enemy heads is a practice of the Shuar people that has been outlawed by the Ecuadorian government since the 1940s. The heads were taken from slain warriors of neighboring tribes during periodic outbreaks of hostilities. When circumstances did not permit the taking of a human head, a substitute sloth or monkey head was acceptable. Warriors’ heads were stored carefully, displayed prominently and highly revered as they conveyed the power of the deceased to the owner.

After severing the head, charcoal is immediately rubbed into the skin to both preserve and to avenge the deceased’s soul. The skin is removed from the skull and the mouth and eyes sewn shut to prevent the soul’s escape. The boiling of the head with a plant and herb mixture initiates the shrinking and fixes hair. After, the head is repeatedly placed into a container of hot dry sand to initiate further skin shrinking. Once shrunken the head is smoked and polished for preservation.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department to use. Information subject to change with additional research.

Indonesian Ancestor Figure (Tau-tau)

2010-08-13T10:38:00.000-07:00

Female Ancestor Figure (Tau-tau), c.1980
Sa Dan Toraja culture, Indonesia
Wood, paint, textile, hair and glass; 58 x 19 x 21
2009.13.1
Bowers Museum Purchase

A tau-tau is an effigy of the dead carved upon the death of a wealthy family member. In the past the sculptures were placed near the dead during long and elaborate funerals that sometimes lasted up to a week. Dressed in the deceased's favorite clothes and jewelry the effigies inspected the funeral festival grounds for approval; a favorable inspection resulted in the transition of the soul into the spirit realm. After the funerals, the tau-tau was taken to a rock cliff balcony or cavern where it was placed with other ancestor effigies to oversee the well-being of the villages. Religious and cultural traditions have changed in Tana Toraja, and today the role of the tau-tau plays a less significant part in the ceremonial and spiritual lives of the people. The effigies have become more realistic in their appearance than ever, and talented artists display their carvings in workshops open to the public.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department to use. Information subject to change with additional research.

New Exhibition Featured in New PIMCO Foundation Gallery

2010-07-28T14:39:00.000-07:00

Currently featuring "Gemstones: The Masterworks of Harold Van Pelt", it is hard to believe that the Bowers’ new PIMCO Foundation Gallery was once a storage room. Freshly converted, the gallery features a window displaying an agate carved shell holding a pearl and diamond brooch, a moss agate free-form bowl and a marbled agate drinking horn with gold details that provide just a small taste of the gorgeous multi-faceted, fluted, and textured vases, hollow containers holding precious stones, sculptures and vessels that are showcased inside. Each quartz and agate work of art has been delicately hand carved by Harold Van Pelt, and the Bowers Museum is proud to present this first comprehensive exhibition of extraordinary artworks assembled for the first time ever. Be among the first to know the work of Harold van Pelt and to visit the new PIMCO Foundation Gallery. VMFEQQFK47AZ

Canoe Steering Paddle is added to "Spirits and Headhunters"

2010-07-28T13:46:00.000-07:00

Steering Paddle (Viyoyu)
19th – 20th century
Trobriand Islands,
Milne Bay Province,
Papua New Guinea,
Melanesia
Wood; 62 1/8 x 7 3/4 x 1 1/4 in.

Among the many islands off the coast of New Guinea, sea-worthy canoes (and their apparatus) are decorated to ensure success and protection during extensive trading voyages. Two men steer the outrigger canoes that carry shells, personal adornments, food and other goods for barter and exchange. A smaller paddle with a leaf-shaped blade is placed through the canoe’s slats at the stern to help guide the craft. Images of stylized birds, fish and swirling designs are incised into the paddle blade, and each end of the paddle is fully carved. The paddle is masterfully fashioned, thin and light in weight. The blade is gently bowed adding elegance and style and the wood has wonderful patina.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department to use. Information subject to change with additional research.

Adoration of the Shepherds, c. mid 16th Century

2010-07-06T08:57:00.000-07:00

Adoration of the Shepherds, c. mid-16th century
Attributed to Michiel, the elder, Coxie (Flemish, 1499-1592)
Oil on oak panel;
12 x 9 1/2 in. 81.13.1
Gift of Mr. Vasek Polak

Donated to the Bowers Museum in 1967, this oil on panel painting is a fragment of a larger work likely depicting the biblical scene commonly referred to as the Adoration of the Shepherds. The Adoration was a popular subject of the period in Flanders, a Northern European region including parts of present-day Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. The painting is reminiscent of the work of the court painter to Regent Maria of Austria, Bernard van Orley (1492-1542), but was likely painted by one of his students, Michiel Coxie (1499-1592), between 1550 and 1560.

Both van Orley and Coxie were part of a group of Northern European artists that painted in a style known as “Romanism,” which was heavily influenced by Italian Renaissance artists, particularly Michelangelo and Raphael. Coxie, himself was dubbed “the Flemish Raphael” and was a well-regarded painter whose works were commissioned and privately owned by kings and royal families of Europe. Coxie’s painted the human figure larger in scale and with more volume than his predecessors and his style is thought to be influential to the artist Peter Rubens. The composition of this particular painting is typically Flemish, and the color palette and stylistic elements suggest it was painted in Antwerp, Belgium.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department to use. Information subject to change with additional research.

Secrets of the Silk Road - Through July 25

2010-06-25T10:02:00.000-07:00

Nearly 3800 years ago, in a remote place in the center of Asia, a beautiful woman with auburn hair and delicate features was laid to rest. Her loved ones dressed her in finely crafted fur-lined boots and placed a felted wool hat with plumes of feathers upon her head. At her shoulder a wool-filled basket stuffed with millet was hers for the afterlife, and a bright red yarn bracelet with a jade bead was left tied around her wrist. Wrapped in a blanket and placed into a coffin, she was left for eternal sleep.

Millennia later, a group of archeologists working in west China’s Tarim Basin discovered the beautiful woman so well-preserved that she appeared to be sleeping. Dubbed the Beauty of Xiaohe, after the site where she was found, exactly who she was and where she and the others buried near her came from, was a mystery. Recent analysis of genes and material goods point to a people with ancestral roots far from the West – intriguing scholars astonished by the early presence of Westerners in the East. For the first time ever, the Beauty along with perfectly preserved religious items, a coffin, personal adornments and grave goods found at the Xiaohe site have been allowed to travel to the United States.

Secrets of the Silk Road explores the development of the Silk Road in Central Asia from the ancient people of Xiaohe, through the development of oasis towns where some of the best preserved textiles and documents ever found extend the understanding of civilization in the region, and finally to the sophisticated system of trade routes that enabled the exchange of refined goods like gold jewelry, silk robes and beautiful personal items between the East and West. Nearly 150 stunning objects, two mummies and the garments and burial mask of an actual Silk Road trader are included in this exhibition from the collections of the Urumuqi Museum and Xinjiang Archaeology Museum.

Quilts: Two Centuries of American Tradition and Technique

2010-06-25T09:34:00.000-07:00

Upcoming Exhibition: July 3, 2010 - January 16, 2011
What are historic documents doing on the back of this quilt? Old receipts, bills, letters and other documents, were used as templates to sew fabric to in this variation of a Crazy quilt from about 1850, making it every bit as interesting as a historical item as it is a textile. This and sixteen other quilts will soon be on display as part of the exhibition Quilts: Two Centuries of American Tradition and Technique presenting the patterns, stitches, fabrics and other construction techniques, of the Bowers’ most popular quilts. Look for the “Whole Cloth” or “Linsey-Woolsey” quilt dating to 1776, the 1930s “Utility” quilt made of men’s suiting samples, a “Yo-yo” quilt and more.

First Phase Chief's Blanket

2010-06-22T16:29:00.000-07:00

First Phase Chief's Blanket, c. 1850-1860
Navajo people; American southwest
Wool; 71 1/2 x 53 3/4 in.
Gift of Charles F. Newcombe

A few years ago Collection staff came across this beautiful First Phase Chief's Blanket while assessing the Native American collection. This early type of Navajo weaving is rare and highly sought after object of American history, with only about 50 blankets known to exist. Blankets such as this date to the early 19th century and demonstrate early trends in Navajo blanket weaving. Large alternating bands of blue, white and brown color are indicative of the earliest (First Phase) Chief's Blankets. Through the Second and Third Phases weavers began including more design elements in their blankets until they progressed into highly patterned and colored works of art made to be worn. This blanket's design is very unusual and of the experts we asked, none could recall another of its likeness. The use of red lines along the edges and the crosses at center are more inline with later Second Phase design elements, and may indicate that this blanket demonstrates the transition between First and Second Phase weaving styles.

Donated in 1936, the same year the museum opened its doors, the original documents state the blanket belonged to one of the most famous Americans, Geronimo. Unable to prove this unlikely claim, the blanket still remains a valuable piece of history and a treasure in the Bowers' collection. A conservation team stabilized the blanket's structural weaknesses and cleaned the fibers making it possible to see the same vibrant colors as the blanket's weaver intended nearly 200 years ago.

All text and images under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

Indonesian Dance Shield (Salawaku)

2010-06-08T10:59:00.000-07:00

Indonesian Dance Shield (Salawaku), 19th century
Seram Island, Maluku Islands, Indonesia
Wood, shell & pigment; 27 x 4 1/2 x 3 1/2 in.
Gift of Dwight V. Strong

The Maluku Islands (Moluccas) lie west of the large island of New Guinea. The people, who live on the hundreds of scatters of islands belonging to Indonesia, were once considered Melanesian in culture with traditions closer to the people of New Guinea. As early as the 17th century Dutch, Chinese and other Europeans came to the islands in search of rich spices, especially nutmeg and mace. The waves of influence from abroad had great affect on the islands, especially the introduction of Islam and Christianity. Despite such changes, the war dance called the cakalele, has been continuously performed for centuries. This vigorous dance is performed by men, each with an hour-glass shaped wood shield (salawaku) inlaid with shell; at times a spear is held in the other hand. In some areas the men paint themselves black with charcoal and wear special garments associated with warriors.

The exact meaning of the widely performed cakalele dance is unclear, but it is thought to have been performed as part of (no longer practiced) headhunting traditions or, more generally, danced before and after war raids. The cakalele has been described in a recently discovered document as a dance that symbolically recounts the overthrow and slaughter of the ruling nobles on the island of Banda by the Dutch in the 17th century. Today dance shields are still made for performers who present the dance during important celebrations, on the occasion of an important visitor, or for the benefit of tourists.

All text and images under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

Wall Hanging with Warrior and Centaur Design

2010-05-28T15:04:00.001-07:00

One of the most extraordinary and mysterious Silk Road textiles ever discovered was unearthed from a grave in the oasis city of Sampul in Central Asia. A blue-eyed man is at the center of the woven fragment; he is believed to be a Greek man dressed like a nomadic person from the Eurasian steppe lands. Above the figure is a centaur, a mythological being of Greek origin that is half man and half horse. Galloping along, his animal pelt skin flutters in the wind as he blows into a horn-like musical instrument. This fragment of textile made and used somewhere between the 2nd century BC and the 2nd century AD is early evidence of the cross-cultural influences occurring throughout the lands defined by the Silk Road.

When excavated, the textile was attached to a pair of trousers worn by an unknown man. On closer inspection, it was found that the textile was a part of what was once a larger tapestry, a woven decoration that likely adorned the wall of an affluent home, probably somewhere in Greek-influenced Asia. Whether the man took the tapestry in an act of crime and violence, or whether he obtained it through trade will never be known. The textile is an incredible discovery as it is one of the largest known examples of its kind found in one of the most remote places on earth.

Mud Men of Waghi Valley

2010-05-28T11:54:00.000-07:00

From the forest emerge several grotesque figures with wide distorted faces fashioned from mud now hardened; their long pointed fingers made of wood click and clack as their palms open and close. Taking wide strides and stances their mud-caked bodies appear ever closer, the mud is a reminder of decay, death and the spirit world.

Award winning National Geographic photographer, Chris Rainier caught this ceremony while traveling throughout the Waghi Valley, in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea. This is just one incredible experience that makes up the beautiful and captivating body of Rainier’s work Where Masks Still Dance on view through June 6, 2010.

"Forest of Arden" by Frank Coburn

2010-05-11T16:32:00.000-07:00

Forest of Arden, c. 1916
Frank Coburn (American, 1862-1938)
Oil on wood panel; 20 3/4 x 25 3/4 in.
3821
Gift of Frank Coburn

Artist Frank Coburn painted this image from a published photograph of the famous Polish-born theatre star Madame Modjeska posed in her beautiful Southern California garden home she called Arden. The very quick and multi-toned brushstrokes are indicative of the French-influenced impressionistic style of painting popular among Southern California painters at the turn of the 20th century. Focusing on movement and feeling instead of detailed representation, it is impossible to see the features of Modjeska’s face or the specifics of her garden home. For Coburn, expressing emotion was the most important aspect of painting.

Untitled (Madam Modjeska at Arden), c. 1910
Photographer unknown
Printed paper; 10 3/8 x 7 7/8 in.
4568
Gift of Everett C. Maxwell

Unlike other Southern California artists of the period who focused exclusively on landscape painting, Coburn’s body of work covered a broader range of subject matter including Native American and Mexican and Chinese American portraits and influences, industry around shipyards, cityscapes and still lifes. Coburn also painted many landscapes from the numerous sketches he made as he traveled throughout Southern California in his “El Vagabundo,” a bus-like precursor to the motor home that also functioned as his studio.

Frank Coburn lived a modest life. Born in Chicago he was schooled at the Art Institute of Chicago. Believing talent was learned not gifted, he described himself as a self-trained artist who continually studied the art of painting. Coburn lived in Santa Ana, California and kept a studio in Los Angeles before painting exclusively in “El Vagabundo.” During his painting career, Coburn had only one solo exhibition, which occurred in 1938 at the Bowers Museum where a large collection of his work is stored and exhibited.

Forest of Arden has recently been placed on exhibit as part of the permanent exhibition California: The Golden Years.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use.

Whole Cloth or Linsey-Woolsey Quilt

2010-04-08T16:02:00.000-07:00

Whole Cloth Quilt, 1776
Lucretia Smith ; Missouri or Iowa
Linen and wool
Gift of Ethel G. Abbott
37075

This heavy quilted bedcover is elaborately decorated with hand stitched twisting vines, curving acanthus leaves, bunches of grapes and blooming flowers stemming from a Tree of Life, a British design style carried to the new American colonies. Quilts of this type are often referred to as linsey-woolsey because of the combination of linen and wool materials of which they are made.

The appeal of this bedcover lies in its age, its vibrant color and the outstanding quilting which gives the raised effect to the naturalistic motifs. The quilt top, made of homespun linen, is dyed indigo blue and is pieced (or assembled from) three sections. A layer of warm wool filling under the top was no doubt a comfort during cold nights. The chartreuse-colored linen backing was also homespun as was the linen thread used to achieve the fine stitching. Imagine the time it took to create the exacting diagonal lines throughout the entire surface.

Early versions of linsey-woolsey quilts, like the 18th century example in the Bowers’ collection, were more elaborate and fine in design and construction than later versions made in the first part of the 19th century. Eventually the linen and wool quilts were overshadowed in popularity by the availability of cotton. The term "linsey-woolsey," commonly used today to describe heavy, quilted bedcovers, in its broader sense refers to any coarse cotton or linen fabric woven with wool. The term is derived from the Middle English word "lynsey" a corruption of "Lindsay," the village in England where such cloth was first made.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact the Collection Department for permission to use.

Behind-the-Scenes Update on Secrets of the Silk Road

2010-03-23T17:00:00.000-07:00

Only a couple more days until the Secrets of the Silk Road exhibition opens to the public. We are working fast and furiously to make sure everything is in its place.

Our designers converse about the placement of the glass back lit floor to be installed. Text panels lean against the walls and open exhibit furniture awaits objects to be installed.

Our text panels arrived today as well as the glass that will create a back lit picture floor to hold the real star and secret of our exhibition - the Beauty of Xiaohe. Xiaohe Mudi (Small River Cemetery) is an incredibly rich archaeological site which many of the objects in the exhibition originate from. The female mummy (c. 2000 BC) is truly beautiful with flowing long red hair and eyelashes, not to mention amazing bone structure. Her bead bracelet, basket filled with wheat, practical and stylish felted wool hat with feather and fur details, and woolen cloak are evidence of the detailed attention of the burial customs of these ancient but unknown people. She and the other objects in the exhibition help to redefine how scholars understand the peopling of Central Asia and reveal that the East and West were in contact far earlier than thought. It is an incredible experience to have her and the exhibition here at the Bowers.

Making notations on the condition of the Beauty of Xiaohe at the Xinjiang Archaeological Institute in Urumqi.

The Beauty of Xiaohe could never have imagined that she would travel as far as the United States where she will go on to visit and be seen at the Houston Museum of Natural Science and The Penn Museum in Philadelphia. Certainly she could never have imagined the media coverage she has received on national and local radio, television and Internet sites. You can see Diane Sawyer talk about the exhibition tomorrow night on ABC.

The Beauty of Xiaohe recently uncrated in the gallery is filmed and photographed by national press.

In the image below our designer can be seen working with a Chinese courier from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region Museum to make sure objects are secured in their display case before being sealed. On the back wall on the left is a bill of sale for a female slave named Upach from Turkestan. Written in the Sogdian language (a Middle Iranian language) around the 7th Century AD, the script is visually beautiful and the contents are culturally important. On the right, a painting on silk screen from the the same time period depicts a female dancer (the other half of the painting once showed a female musician - only her shoes remain). Silk screen paintings that depict women in daily life are incredibly rare finds - this is the oldest silk painting depicting women's lives ever to be found in China.

Final touches to the exhibit are made by our designer and Chinese representative.

We are looking forward to seeing you here at the Bowers. Don't forget you may follow this link or visit our website to purchase tickets ahead of time on our website.

All text and images under copyright. Please contact the Collection Department for permission to use.

Silk Road Curator's Update

2010-03-18T16:29:00.001-07:00

Bowers staff works with Xinjiang Museum and Xinjiang Archaeology Institute couriers to unpack a 7th-9th Century wooden tomb figure of a horse from the Astana tombs.

The last few days at the museum have been focused on uncrating, unpacking, condition reporting and installing objects for the Secrets of the Silk Road exhibition. We have had a lot of interest in the exhibition generated by the NY Times and USA today articles that have come out this week and it has been wonderful to receive phone calls and emails from all over the country from people eager to see this historic exhibition.

When checking the condition of objects I usually find that I am so focused on the details and possible weaknesses of an object that I forget that I am looking at, or even holding in my own hands, an artifact of great historic significance - I see the scratch instead of the Frida Kahlo collage or the cracks not the terracotta warrior. This was not the case however when it came time to examine the infant mummy from Zaghunluq (the same mummy featured in the NY Times). Even though this 8-10 month old baby lived around 1000 BC there is no question that it was deeply loved by its parents. The baby was sweetly wrapped in brilliant red and blue wool textiles, a tuft of blond hair on its forehead peaks out from under its bonnet. A horn for drinking and a sack filled with milk were placed at the baby's sides so that even in the afterlife it had sustenance. Two flat rocks were placed over each of the eyes before it was laid to rest (one stone is removed in the picture below). Three thousand years later it is possible to feel the love the parents had for this child and for me, experiencing an emotional connection with ancient people has been extraordinary.

Condition reporting an infant mummy at the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region Museum

Our Registrar and Collections team have been working with the Chinese couriers from Xinjiang and our Exhibits crew to make sure everything is ready to be placed in the gallery. Many objects require special mounts, display stands and placement. You can see some of the photos from unpacking and examination at Bowers below. Don't forget you can purchase tickets ahead of time to see the exhibition on our website. Even though we are working long hours we never lose sight of what an amazing exhibition this is and how wonderful it will be to finally share it with you.

What appears to be an unattractive woman is actually a eunuch. Dressed in a beautiful robe, his long-sleeved arms are able to be posed to show all types of dance movements.

Our team examines tomb goods from Astana. A miniature quiver and set of bows can be seen in the foreground. The quiver is decorated with two men on horseback hunting what appears to be a tiger.

This portion of an oxhead still has portions of hair that were intentionally left in place; the forehead is painted and a bundle of hemp wrapped with wool cord is attached between the horns. Probably about 4000 years old, the head was used ceremoniously.

All text and images under copyright. Please contact the Collection Department for permission to use.

Silk Road Curator's Video

2010-03-10T17:48:00.000-08:00

Our final inspection and packing of objects for Secrets of the Silk Road took us back to Beijing where we spent half of a day at the World Art Museum. A gold funerary mask decorated with ruby-colored stones was definitely a highlight and especially the incredible Yingpan Man, an actual Silk Road trader whose clothing and funeral mask were very fine in quality. His robe's pattern appears Mediterranean in influence and even the pillow his head rests upon is exquisite in construction and design. The short movie below captures some of the highlights of the day.

Our crates and Chinese couriers have arrived at the Bowers Museum and today and we will begin the condition report process all over again with gallery installation soon to follow. We will keep you updated with more pictures and information on the one-of-a-kind artworks and artifacts in the exhibition, revealing some secrets along the way. We will also post some behind-the-scenes images to show you what it takes to put together a museum exhibition. Stay tuned!

Secrets of the Silk Road: Curator's Travel Blog March 3, 2010

2010-03-05T13:48:00.000-08:00

I am back in Beijing after a whirlwind of a trip to Urumuqi where we finished condition reporting the bulk of the objects coming to Bowers Museum for the Secrets of the Silk Road exhibition. As expected, the objects are far more beautiful in person and really incredible when considering their age and what they tell us about people, trade and cultural exchange in ancient Central Asia.

Condition reporting requires your attention be focused on minutia of its condition (is it broken, is it stable, is there any damage, will it survive travel) and rarely affords you the chance to step back and think about a piece as it functioned in its actual context. Still there were some moments that I had a chance to pause and really look at some of the objects.

One of the items that most stood out to me was the felted hat with goose feather and weasel fur details in absolutely perfect condition. The hat is a perfect example of function and fashion coming together. This hat belonged to someone who lived out in the very cold desert region of Xinjiang somewhere between 1800-1500 BC! And let me tell you it was cold out there - I am astounded at how ancient people braved and survived such extreme conditions. Because of the dry environment, the perfect preservation of objects like this hat have occurred, allowing scholars to construct the early history of the Silk Road.

I loved coming face to face with the Figure of a Foreigner from the Western Regions (7th-9th Century) sporting a wonderful moustache. We had two things in common, first that we were not typical of the people of Xinjiang province. I saw very few foreigners myself and he was not typical of the mostly Han population of Astana, where he was entombed. Also, in his sculpted manifestation, we are about the same height.

I felt a little envious of the woman who owned the pair of earrings (3rd-4th Century) that had been described to us as gold earrings with glass stone they are stunning! Dr. Keller, having a background in gems, was able to take a closer look at and identify the glass”as aquamarine probably originating from Afghanistan. The earrings also have small pearls, probably from the Indian Ocean. The red stone inlayed in the gold was not identified but beautiful nonetheless. The components used to construct such a fine pair of earrings came from many far places and belonged, no doubt, to someone of importance.

A beautiful, albeit partial, painting of Buddha standing on a lotus was identified in the center of a robe (3rd-4th Century). It is a reminder of the influx of new religions to and through Central Asia, the hub of the ancient Silk Roads.

With 19 more objects to condition report in Beijing, my trip here is almost finished. This exhibition is simply remarkable and it is a privilege to be hosting it at Bowers Museum.

Julie Lee
Beijing
March 3, 2010

Secrets of the Silk Road: Curator's Travel Blog February 27, 2010

2010-03-02T16:03:00.001-08:00

Adjusting to the time difference of 16 hours has been a challenge today. The shopping and eating in Beijing have been great but now I am excited to head off to the Xinjiang province and the city of Urumqi, the Guiness Book of World Record holder for largest city farthest from any main body of water. Most I am looking forward to finally seeing the objects for the Secrets of the Silk Road exhibition up close.

My main job while in Urumqi (Pronounced Uh-roo-uhm-qi) will be to carefully document and make detailed written condition reports of each object before supervising their packing and crating. I will be working with a great team from the Xinjiang museums to make sure this happens. I look forward to seeing first hand the construction and decoration of these beautiful Silk Road objects excavated from several archaeological sites in the Tarim Basin, a vast and arid desert sprinkled with oases that over time eventually developed into small statelets. These early Silk Road towns benefited by the aid they provided to travelers that sought shelter, provisions, and markets to sell/barter their goods. Not only did inhabitants witness the exchange of the ancient world’s finest commodities, but they were also greatly influenced by contact with foreigners from many places, their languages and cultures - a true melting pot.

Some of the items I am looking forward to seeing are the sunglasses. During life they functioned to keep out the sun and the desert's fine dust. They were also important to the afterlife and were included in burials, placed over the eyes of the deceased.

Some of the textiles in this exhibition are absolutely remarkable, even the simple wool blanket that once wrapped someone is extraordinary considering it dates to c.1800-1500 BC and the magnificent textile from the height of Silk Road trade with obvious Mediterranean features is one of the most important textiles in the world for its clear establishment of Western goods in the East, not to mention its sheer beauty.

When it comes to this exhibition there are no shortage of things to write about, including some incredible surprises that will be revealed in the very near future. I look forward to keeping you updated as we work to bring this exhibition to you.

Julie Lee
Beijing 2/27/10

Miao Saddle

2010-01-28T22:49:00.000-08:00

Saddle, 20^th century

Miao people; Guizhou Province , China

Silver

Gift of Richard and Mary Cramer

2009.16.1

For young Miao women, when it comes to personal adornment, the more silver one has the better, and one’s beauty is marked by the heaviness of her ornaments. Young women of marriageable age take part in courting festivals where they hope to attract suitable mates. Covered from head to toe in silver headdresses, necklaces, earrings, bracelets and other jewelry, a girl’s shining ensembles sometimes weighs more than twenty pounds. These brilliant visual displays of wealth are intended to capture the attention of available men, and are advertisements of a young woman’s dowry to be transferred to her future husband family upon marriage. The sight of a horse specially outfitted with a silver saddle is an ultimate display of wealth. Horses are relied upon for both transportation and cultivation and are symbols of prestige and affluence; they are also included in Miao marriage processions. Like silver, horses may become part of a young woman’s dowry.

This saddle is made of wood, overstretched with leather, and fitted with sheets of pounded silver. It is completely covered in designs that signify happiness, fertility, posterity and harmony. Fan-tailed dragons float among clouds and flames of fire, and flank the sides of a flaming pearl; below two fish appear. Happy human figures can be seen within the branches of flowering trees. A phoenix and a dragon playfully face a sun, and two phoenixes with swirling tail feathers are on the rear of the saddle. Miao silversmiths mimic the motifs found within embroidered, woven and batik-dyed special occasion textiles which are exquisitely made by women. These motifs are usually part of some historic or mythic narrative or have a specific significance to the Miao who traditionally lack a written language.

Prehistoric Maze Stone

2009-11-06T16:58:00.000-08:00

Maze Stone, prehistoric
Gabrieliño/Juaneño people; Trabuco Canyon, California
Granite; 6 1/2 tons
Bowers Museum Collection

The mysterious granite Maze Stone rests at the base of the giant prickly pear cactus in the Key Courtyard of the Bowers. Much speculation has arisen regarding the maze-like petroglyphs inscribed on its surface, considerably dimmed now by weather erosion. It is postulated that the stone played a part in the ritual of an ancient people, however no definitive explanation of its use is known.

Maze Rock at Trabuco Canyon, 1885
Unknown photographer
Photograph; 7 x 12 in.
6538

Puzzle or maze designs are often seen in Southern California rock art; the maze is often used as a philosophical depiction of life. Maze designs are also used in basketry in Arizona and elsewhere around the world. Similarly marked boulders have been discovered in San Diego, Riverside, and Imperial Counties, usually in prominent positions on high ridged or hills.

Maze Rock and its Discoverer J.C. Joplin, 1885
Unknown photographer
Photograph; 3 1/2 x 5 3/4 in.
6554

The stone was found by J. C. Joplin in 1885 in a ridge between Bell and lower Trabuco Canyons, an area where no other signs of Indian habitation were found. The maze stone was brought to Bowers Museum in the early thirties. The several-ton stone is one of the Museum’s oldest Indian artifacts and remains an unsolved mystery.

All text and images under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use.

Boiken Pottery Mask

2009-10-06T16:17:00.000-07:00

Pottery Mask, early-mid 20th century
Boiken people; East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea, Melanesia
Ceramic; 7 1/4 in. diameter
2009.2.1
Purchase made possible by the Bowers Museum General Acquisitions
Fund

Ceramic works of art made and used ceremonially rather than for utilitarian purposes are known to exist among only a handful of cultures in Papua New Guinea, making this pottery mask a precious and extraordinary addition to the museum’s permanent collection. The disc-shaped face and sharply protruding beak are avian features. The round eye openings are intense and overall the mask is captivating, exuding originality and character. Too small to fit a human face, it is unclear exactly how the pottery mask was used although the piercings around the edges indicate that it was intended to be attached to some structure. It is very likely that it was placed in a healing shrine made up of an assortment of miscellaneous items such as bones, stones and carved figures thought to possess magical and curative powers.

This mask originates from a Boiken village west of Wewak in East Sepik Province where documentation and published findings on pottery production have focused on food containers and vessels. Figurative pottery is practically an untouched subject because of the scarcity of these forms; only one other known example of a mask with characteristics similar to the one pictured here is known. Unfortunately, Boiken pottery production is endangered with few potters remaining to carry on the tradition. Men, not women, have been responsible for the creation of ceramic wares, employing the coiling method when constructing bowls and vessels. This mask was also made with a coiling technique to which the nose was later applied in relief.

All text and images under copyright. Please contact the Collection Department for permission to use.

Something Big is Happening at Bowers!

2009-09-09T16:51:00.000-07:00

They have lined the most famous avenues and plazas in the world and now Fernando Botero’s monumental sculptures come to Bowers Museum, Santa Ana. Three beautiful, big and bronze works of art by the acclaimed artist are on view in the musuem’s Key Courtyard as part of the upcoming exhibition The Baroque World of Fernando Botero.

Fernando Botero
Smoking Woman, 1987
Bronze; 73 x 141 3/4 x 34 1/4 in.

Fernando Botero
The Rape of Europa, 1999
Bronze; 81 1/2 x 71 3/4 x 122 in.

Fernando Botero
Hand, 1985
Bronze; 102 1/4 x 55 x 69 in.

Getting these monumental artworks upright and placed was no easy feat. Weighing in at between 1 and 3 tons, it took a forklift and four men to move, uncrate and place these playful and irresistibly attractive sculptures. You can view over 20 more images of this challenging exhibit by joining us on Facebook or join us on Twitter for museum updates.

Round and voluminous treatment of the figure is the signature of the artist’s unmistakable style. Read more about artist Fernando Botero in the gorgeous full color exhibition catalog available in our gift store. Enjoy these sculptures and nearly 100 other paintings, works on paper and sculptures at the much anticipated exhibition opening Saturday, September 12, 2009.

This exhibition is organized and circulated by Art Services International, Alexandria, Virginia. All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use.

Business Ledger of Don Tomás Yorba

2009-07-17T12:29:00.001-07:00

Business Ledger of Don Tomás Yorba; 1841-1849
Santa Ana, California
Paper, cow hide, ink; 11 3/4 x 8 1/2 in.
5071

The most historically significant book in the Bowers Museum’s collection is this ledger or book of accounts used by Don Tomás Antonio Yorba and later, his brother Bernardo, to record the business affairs, transactions of goods, and the settlement of the estate, Rancho Santa Ana. Its first entries were made in 1841 and span through the end of that decade, giving specific insight into the daily life and conditions of early California, then under Mexican rule and on the brink of reaching statehood.

Rancho Santa Ana, born of a Spanish land grant, reached from the sea to the mountains, and was made up of thousands of acres of crops and orchards, vineyards, roaming livestock, an 18 room adobe and other dwellings which housed landowners, traders, artisans, laborers and employees. Written in Spanish and bound in hide, this ledger documents in beautiful handwriting the Rancho employees’ wages (at 8 pesos a month) and several monetary loans to many well-known early Californians including Pio Pico, Don Juan Forester and Fernando Sepulveda. Perhaps most fascinating are the noted transactions of goods traded and sold by other landowners who bought at Rancho Santa Ana and the notations of goods obtained at the port at San Pedro that arrived from far-off places. These include items for sustenance like tallow, sugar, rice, grain and beans; items for work like wheels for carts, pack saddles and shoes; specialty and luxury goods like paper, printed cottons, silk kerchiefs and stockings; and tobacco and Spanish brandy, the latter which holds repeated entries in the ledger.

All text and images under copyright. Please contact the Collection Department for permission to use.

Zande Basketry Shield

2009-07-08T12:47:00.000-07:00

Basketry Shield, late 19th – 20th century
Zande people; Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan
Split rattan cane and wood; 47 3/4 x 23 in.
Gift of Martha Ann Bryson
2003.60.9

The Zande populate the northern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the southern region of Sudan. Historically noted as extraordinary warriors who mastered militaristic strategy and power, Zande rulers continuously stretched the boundaries of their control by conquering neighboring groups of people. To insure sustainability and order of the region, royal family members and esteemed individuals were assigned to govern newly obtained territories.

Warriors' basketry shields were personal belongings of the utmost importance that offered protection and embodied prestige. As a weapon the shield is designed for optimal function. Built from an oval wood frame it is woven with split rattan cane strong enough to divert oncoming weapons and at the same time light enough to carry for long distances. Its size allows protection for an entire crouching body. The slight convex shape of the shield is pleasing to the eye and is created by a concave grip board attached to the reverse side. The geometric patterning on Zande shields served as unique personal identifications. The use of contrasting black and yellow cane was essential for clearly identifying the warrior who held it. A symbol of pride and dignity, a warrior took great care in maintaining the quality of his shield. A small puncture above the central design element in this particular shield gives evidence of it being used in battle.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact the Collection Department for permission to use.

Goodbye Samurai!

2009-06-20T14:37:00.000-07:00

It has been a priveldge for Bowers Museum to host Art of the Samurai: Selections from the Tokyo National Museum. Over 18,000 visitors came to see first hand the exquisite craftsmanship evident in each of the objects on display. Those who didn’t get a chance to see the exhibition can still purchase a copy of the catalog from our gift shop that bears the same title – it beautifully pictures and describes each object that was included in the exhibition. After viewing Art of the Samurai our visitors overwhelmingly agreed that the exhibition gave them a stronger appreciation for samurai culture and clearly understood that samurai were a highly cultured class of people, who in addition to the art of battle, mastered and surrounded themselves with other forms of art.

These images show representatives from the Tokyo National Museum as they prepare each object for shipment. As with every exhibition, specially trained handlers traveled with the exhibition to examine the condition of each object before placing it into its display case. The same team of museum professionals returned at the end of the exhibition to once again check the objects' conditions and pack them in special archival materials and packaging built to each object’s specifications. The man dusting the katana sword is wearing a mask to keep any moisture he may exhale away from the iron blade in an effort to prevent corrosion. Assembling and dissembling the rokumaido gusoku style armor was a careful and time consuming process as there are many components to the overall garment including the two crescent shaped wakidate on both sides of the helmet.

All images and text under copyright. Please ask Collection Department for permission to use.

Incan Storage Bottle

2009-05-22T17:00:00.000-07:00

Photograph by Minshu Wang

Storage Vessel (urpu), 15th – early 16th century
Inca people; Peru
Ceramic and glaze; 13 x 11 x 9 in.
F81.18.1

This spouted vessel with conical base, side handles and a central lug with a stylized animal face represents one of the most common types of ceramic vessels from the Incan empire. These types of vessels are referred to as Cuzco bottles (Cuzco was the capital of the Incan empire) or as aryballos, the word used to describe similar globular jars used in ancient Greece. Built using a coiling technique, these types of vessels were designed for optimal functionality. They were used to hold water, probably food and chicha, a fermented corn beer which played a role in Incan ceremony. Transporting the jars was made easy with the use of ropes which were placed through the handles and then wrapped around the central lug; this allowed the jar to be carried on one’s back. The pointed base made it possible to stand the vessel upright when it was set into soft or sandy earth. The two small pierced lugs directly under the rim of the spout held a cover in place which prevented unwanted debris falling inside and from contents spilling out. The warm honey-orange color was produced through oxidation that occurred during the firing process; the bands of designs were made using slip that was applied by hand before firing. The vessel is a perfect example of the elegance the Inca applied to even the most utilitarian of objects.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use.

Tlingit Raven Rattle

2009-04-28T14:10:00.000-07:00

Photograph by Minshu Wang

Raven Rattle, late 19th century
Tlingit Culture; Fort Wrangell, Alaska
Wood, paint and cedar twine; 14 x 4.25 in.
Gift of the John J. Burkhard Family
89.34.1

This Tlingit ceremonial rattle is carved in two sections and bound together with cedar twine. The rattle is intricately designed with various stylized animals and a human figure, perhaps of shamanic status. As with the large majority of Northwest coast rattles, the main body takes the shape of a raven. Within its openwork carved beak is a box which, according to legend, is filled with the light Raven stole from the heavens and carried to a once lightless earth. Upon the raven’s back the human figure reclines - his arms merge with his hands and bent legs. The figure’s mouth is open revealing a long tongue that protrudes into the mouth of a frog which crouches on his abdomen. A long beaked bird with horizontal crested feathers emerges at the figure’s feet and connects to the frog body. The purposefully joined bird-frog-man demonstrates connectivity and transmission between the figures. The underside of the rattle is incised with a totemic wolf's face which likely carried personal meaning for its owner. Rattles are objects of power and would have been in the possession of chiefs who carried them as part of their ceremonial regalia, or used by shaman in dance and ceremony.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use.

Milliner's Model Doll with Apollo Knot Hair

2008-11-21T15:48:00.000-08:00

Milliner's Model Doll with Apollo Knot Hair, c.1830
Germany
Papier-mâché, cotton, wood, leather and chemise; 23 in.
Bowers Museum #86.17.1

This beautiful example of an early German-made Milliner's Model doll is remarkable in condition and rare in size, measuring at least twelve inches taller than average. The head made of papier-mâché has hand painted details and features the striking Apollo Knot hairstyle primarily depicted on early molded hair paper-mâché head dolls of the period. The Greek-inspired hairstyle was popular among women in the 1830’s until mid-1840 who neatly arranged their hair (and sometimes false hair pieces and decorative ornaments) prominently upon their heads. Six individually molded braids are seen encircling the pronounced topknot diagonally from left to right. The name Milliner's Model is unusual for these dolls since very few examples are known to have worn hats; the origin of the term has only been speculated about.

The body of this doll is formed of cotton, a restoration that differs from the original sewn kid body. The arms, legs, feet and hands are of carved wood. The hand-sewn dress is made of sheer fabric and three petticoats are tied at the figure’s waist with narrow drawstring tapes. Originally dressed dolls such as this offer historians rare glimpses into the actual underclothing worn during the period represented. In this particular instance the doll illustrates the fact that women of this period did not wear pantalettes, panties, bloomers or drawers.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use.

Cook Islands Chief's Stool

2008-11-11T17:26:00.000-08:00

Chief’s Stool, late 19th century
Cook Islands, Polynesia
Wood; 5.5 x 8.25 x 18.18 in.
Bowers Museum purchase courtesy of the Pick Laudati Fund
2008.2.1

With a slightly upturned bench and robust sweeping legs, this 19th century chief's stool has the lines of a contemporary work of art. Carved from a single piece of wood it is a very fine example of its kind. Originally collected in 1910 from the Cook Islands the stool, reserved for only someone highly esteemed and of great status, is a testament to the superb craftsmanship and artistic accomplishments of Polynesian culture. This stool was collected at a pivotal moment in the island’s history when indigenous customs, including art making traditions, had succumbed to the effects of Western colonization.

Early Cook Islands culture maintained a strict hierarchy between men, chiefs, priests and gods. The ceremonial and utilitarian objects used by each were also distinct in function and aesthetics. Objects used by higher ranking individuals were strong, long lasting and meant to be passed down through generations. Power and aesthetics were intrinsically tied together and alive within objects of chiefly and ritual status; master artists controlled this aesthetic power called manu as they created each work of art. The most common Cook Islands objects found in collections today include clubs, weapons and staffs, ceremonial adzes and rare examples of carved male figures.

This stool, a recent acquisition to the collection, is currently featured in the Museum’s front lobby.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use.

Kuba Cosmetic or Ointment Box

2008-09-26T15:11:00.000-07:00

Cosmetic or Ointment Box, 20th century
Kuba people; Democratic Republic of Congo
Wood, tacks and camwood powder; 11.5 x 6.5 in.
Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Richard Baum
F77.70.31

The Kuba culture is concerned with beauty; not only is art required for court and religious purposes, but everyday objects are decorated as well. The Kuba produce an amazing variety of boxes in numerous shapes. The motifs on them are derived from patterns created for exquisite embroidered raffia fabrics. Each linear, interlaced, geometric pattern has a name and a special mystic power.

During ceremonial occasions a paste of palm oil and the fine ground powder of the camwood tree is mixed in these boxes. This is painted on the body, rubbed on ancestor figures, other cult objects and corpses and is used to decorate masks and to dye raffia. Originally the boxes were also rubbed with the special paste called tukula. The tukula is termite resistant and helps to preserve the boxes.

All text and images under copyright. Please contact the Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

Star of Bethlehem Quilt c. 1840

2008-09-19T15:46:00.000-07:00

Quilt, c. 1840
Star of Bethlehem pattern, Maker unknown
Cotton and printed chintz; 101 x 100 in.
Gift of William R. Moran
2002.14.86

Expertly made by an unknown quilt maker, this very fine quilt features the elaborate and difficult to construct Star of Bethlehem design. This particular pattern requires great skill; if the diamond shaped pieces of the star are not accurately cut then the quilt will curl. Star of Bethlehem quilts combine a variety of fabrics and colors in their composition - this particular quilt incorporates an exceptional collection of expensive materials. Repeating green triangles, called a dogtooth pattern, borders the quilt and visually emphasizes the four corners which contain images of lush trees and exotic birds. Cut pieces of printed chintz fabric, these additional motifs were skillfully appliquéd to the quilt top to add further embellishment. The quilt is large in size and was made to lie over the type of bed, typical in the period it was made, that was raised high above the floor to avoid cold drafts.

Featured in the exhibition American Quilts: Two Hundred Years of History this quilt and more than 30 other examples will be on display in the Anderson-Hsu-Tu Gallery beginning September 20, 2008. Spanning a history of 200 years, the works of art in this exhibition illustrate the historical, social, and artistic value of the American quilt.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use.

Images and Souvenirs from the 1932 Xth Olympiad

2008-08-07T17:50:00.001-07:00

Olympic Stadium, 1932
Photograph; 4.25 x 2.75 in.
Gift of Lonnie Edward Thompson
Bowers Museum #32352A.1-.2

The 1932 Summer Olympics, or the Games of the Xth Olympiad were the first Olympic games held in Los Angeles and only the second Olympic games to take place outside of Europe. Held during the Great Depression, only the city of Los Angeles made a bid to host the Xth Olympiad. Approximately 1400 athletes from 37 nations competed , only about half of the usual number of nations and athletes due to the financial hardship of the times. Even the President of the United States, Herbert Hoover, did not attend the games.

The 1932 Summer Olympics saw many important firsts such as the first ever “Olympic Village” (male athletes were housed in the Olympic Village in Baldwin Park, female athletes stayed at the more comfortable Chapman Park Hotel on Wilshire Blvd). This was also the first time a victory podium was used. The 1932 Summer Games also marked the debut of China as an Olympic competitor. China, or the Republic of China at the time, sent only one athlete, Liu Changchun who competed in Track & Field but was eliminated in the preliminary heats. Famous female athlete “Babe” Didrikson competed in these games, winning two gold and one silver medal in track and field.

Pictured here from the Bowers Museum collection is a seat pillow, an official pictorial souvenir of the games and a photograph of Olympic Stadium, today known as the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Olympic Stadium Seat Pillow, 1932
Printed cotton; 11.5 x 14in.
Gift of Mary M. Martin
Bowers Museum #98.76.2

Official Pictorial Souvenir, 1932
Paper; 8.5 x 11 in.
Gift of Lonnie Edward Thompson
Bowers Museum #32352D

The Bowers Museum sends its best wishes to all of the athletes competing in 2008 Beijing XXIX Olympiad!

All text and images under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use

Santa Ana Women's Marching Club

2008-07-03T17:20:00.001-07:00

Santa Ana Women’s Marching Club, c.1900
American; photographer unknown
Photograph; 6.25 x 10 in.
Gift of Mr.Terry Edward Stephenson, Sr.
Bowers Museum #6641

These women with matching uniforms and caps that bear the initials W M C are part of the Santa Ana Women’s Marching Club. Especially in the late 19th century, citizens across the country formed marching clubs as a way to show support for their political views and representatives. Marching clubs participated in campaign events, community parades and political rallies; they competed against one another for the title of best drilled team. At a time before women had the right to vote, women’s marching clubs were an important vehicle for expressing support of local and national issues. Only twenty-nine women are visible in this photograph although most marching groups attempted to have one hundred members. Each club had a unique name and uniform. The uniforms could be bought directly from a manufacturer who in addition to the pants or skirt and jacket, could provide canes, flags, and torches. It is unknown whether the rifles with bayonets in this photograph are real or part of the equipment from the manufacturer.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use.

Egyptian Mummy Mask

2008-06-27T18:01:00.000-07:00

Mummy Mask, 332 BC – 330 AD
Egyptian, late Ptolemaic – early Roman period
Linen, plaster, gold leaf, pigment; 14 x 12.75 in.
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. Ward
2003.38.1

This mummy mask dating from the late Ptolemaic to the early Roman period was placed over a deceased body in combination with other cartonnage pieces such as a foot case and breast plate. Cartonnage (linen covered with plaster) coverings severed as protection to the body; additionally cartonnage masks provided an idealized portrait, in no sense a true likeness, of the deceased. This gilded mask is painted with figures of the gods Osiris and Isis, hieroglyphs and a red medallion at the crest of the head. The use of gold not only marks the status of the deceased but, is meant to emulate the golden skin of the gods.

Remarkably, a true portrait of the deceased remains embedded in this mask. A digital image of the interior reveals the face of the young deceased male, possibly achieved when the embalmers laid layers of linen and plaster over his face to form an impression for the mummy mask. The angle the photograph was taken in combination with the lighting creates the illusion a protuberant and even more lifelike portrait.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use.

Ceremonial Yao Painting

2008-06-20T11:04:00.000-07:00

Ceremonial Painting, 20th century
Yao people, China
Paper, natural pigment and fiber; 45 x 19.5 in
Bowers Museum #2002.47.30
Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Long Shung and Anne Shih

The Yao people live throughout southern China with some populations found throughout northern areas of Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. The Yao practice a form of Taoism, and paintings of the pantheon of divine beings play an essential role in the function of their religious ceremonies. The painting pictured here is just one that makes up a complete set of twenty-four ceremonial Yao Taoist paintings. Three layers of soft brown paper are joined together and attached to round wood supports at each end. Ideally a priest (if available) is commissioned to make each set of paintings which he creates in a purified religious space, and ceremoniously names each divine being after completion. Ceremonial paintings are commissioned by men who desire to ascend into priesthood and owning a set of ceremonial paintings is necessary for this to occur. New sets of paintings are also commissioned by families wishing to replace their old or tattered ones. The entire set of images when hung covers two or three sides of a room with some overlapping occurring.

This particular image shows three of the six Marshals whose painted images are hung at each end of every complete set of paintings. The Marshals are protectors who ward of demons and impurity. The large central figure, Marshal Teng, is green in color, has wings hanging from his arms and two tusks that extend from his mouth. He is associated with thunder which he may use to sever demons. The smaller figures below represent Marshal Hsin, a Judge who holds in his arms the Book of Acceptance and Marshal K’ang who is associated with healing the sick and known as being a lover of wine and animals.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use.

Baule Spirit Mate

2008-06-12T09:15:00.000-07:00

Spirit Mate, late 19th – 20th century
Baule people, Ivory Coast
Wood, bead, paint and kaolin; 10.5 in H
Gift of Dwight V. Strong
Bowers Museum #82.31.14

This Baule carved figure of a female was carved to embody a spirit mate. Each individual is thought to have a partner of the opposite sex in the spirit world. If an individual is experiencing problems or difficulties, marital or sexual for example, it likely indicates the unhappiness or feelings of neglect of the spirit mate. When personal troubles of this nature arise they may be relayed to a diviner who recommends the troubled individual to commission the carving. The carving allows the spirit to take a human form which may be communicated with and made offerings to. The spirit mate is given personal care by cleaning and rubbing with oil; food offerings are placed in tiny dishes before the figure.

The figural carving is crafted with marks of Baule idealized beauty: long neck, large calves, serene expression and rounded breasts and belly. The beaded double necklaces and belts, hairstyle and scarification patterns are individual marks of this female spirit mate.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use.

Marquesas Islands Bowl

2008-06-05T16:29:00.000-07:00

Bowl, 19th Century
Polynesian Culture, Marquesas Islands
Wood , 7 in. height x 18 in. diameter
Purchased with Bowers Acquisition Funds
2004.34.1

This carved wood bowl from the Marquesas Islands has a diameter of 18 inches making it remarkable in size compared to other known examples in museum collections. The broad interior of the bowl is smooth with repeating triangular designs along the flattened rim. The exterior is highly ornamented throughout with low-relief geometric designs. Seven wedge shaped sections divided into three rectangular panels radiate from the round symmetrical pattern at the base which is a stylized face. There is a symbolic relationship linking concepts of body and face to Marquesan art objects; the most recognizable of these is the tiki figure that reoccurs throughout a range of sculpture.

Relatively little is understood about the complexities of early Marquesan art since culturally relevant information was indefinitely lost in the later 19th century from the result of rapid changes in population, tourism and exchange through trade or sale. Intricate geometric designs adorned a variety of carved Marquesas objects and it is believed that, at least in some cases, these designs relate to the intricate tattoo patterns that covered the bodies of both Marquesas men and women.

Marquesan art, people and the islands themselves have been highly influential among writers such as Herman Melville, Robert Louis Stevenson, Jack London and artist Paul Gauguin, all who spent time there.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use.

Kamayura Ceremonial Mask

2008-05-29T14:51:00.001-07:00

Mask, 20th century
Kamayura people, Xingu River Basin, Brazil
Fiber, wood, pigment and wax; 37 x 8 in.
Gift of Mr. Michael S. Merrifield
Bowers Museum #91.22.1

Carved from a single piece of wood this mask was worn and performed during a ceremony by a Kamayura shaman. The long fiber strands are woven into a cap on the reverse side of the mask that was secured over the head. In the front the dangling fiber concealed the wearer's face while still providing visibility. Shamans play an integral role in Kamayura life, bringing balance in times of unrest, curing the sick and communicating with the spiritual world. During the dry season an important ceremony takes place assuring that fish found in the surrounding low water level lakes, streams and rivers will rise to (or in other words be closer to) the surface where they can be easily caught. The visual connection between the mask's use and its function during this crucial time of year when high protein fish is gathered, is seen in the painted repeating diamond shapes that mimic the shape of fish as if one was looking down upon them as they swam. This same design would be repeated upon the shaman's body through the use of body paint. Traps, nets and spears are used by the Kamayura to fish but, probably most interesting is a form of communal hunting that occurs in August and September when a poison called timbo, obtained from beating a cane plant, is released into shallow waters surfacing the fish for easy collection.

All images and text under copyright. Pleae contact Collection Department for permission to use.

"Laughing Bill" Nickols

2008-05-21T15:03:00.000-07:00

Photograph of "Laughing Bill" Nickols (1862-1940)
American; c. 1930
Photographer Edward E. Cochems (1874-1935)
Gift of Mr. Charles D. Swanner
Bowers Museum #37104

William S. Nickols was nicknamed "Laughing Bill" because of his high hysterical and very contagious laugh, as proven by the men's faces in this photograph. A Santa Ana resident, Nickols was given free passes to the theatres in town and regardless of how poor a comedy was, if Bill started laughing the audience followed and the show was considered a success. Mr. Nickols came to Santa Ana about 1900 and died in 1940 at the age of seventy-eight.

This photograph was taken by Edward E. Cochems a commercial photographer who lived and worked in Santa Ana. Cochems left a plentitude of documentation of early Santa Ana including churches, hospitals, businesses, natural and residential areas. Residents such as "Laughing Bill" Nickols were regular subjects of his work as well.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use.

Guy Rose's Marguerite

2008-05-15T16:30:00.000-07:00

Marguerite, c. 1909
Guy Rose (1867-1925); American
Oil on canvas; 15 x 19 in
Martha C. Stevens Memorial Art Collection
F7693

Guy Rose was the first painter born and raised in Los Angeles who rose to international importance. He spent much of his art career outside Los Angeles, studying in San Francisco and Paris, working as an illustrator and teacher in New York, and then living in Giverny, France, a colony abroad for American artists. In 1914, he permanently settled in Los Angeles. Although Rose mainly produced landscapes, he was a fine painter of the human figure, which made him one of Southern California's few good figure painters. Marguerite, a treasure of Bowers Museum’s permanent collection, is one of Rose’s top figural works. Marguerite was a model he frequently employed in France; she sits reading and wears a blue Chinese robe. Asian products, especially clothing, became fashionable in the late nineteenth century when these goods began to flood western markets. Artists enjoyed painting the lavish costumes because of their bright colors and bold patterns.

This painting was exhibited at Los Angeles County Museum of Art (then the Museum of History, Science and Art) in May, 1919 where it was purchased, becoming part of the Stevens Memorial Art Collection.

All text and images under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use.

Yoruba Sculpture of a Wedding Procession

2008-04-17T11:10:00.000-07:00

Carving of a Wedding Procession
Yoruba people, Nigeria
Wood, cowrie shell and beads; 6 3/4 x 14 1/2 x 14 1/2 in.
Bowers Museum Acquisition Fund Purchase
77.73.1

This unique wood carving of the Yoruba people of Nigeria, illustrates a wedding procession depicting five male and eight female figures aligned in five rows. Each figure has been carved separately in the round and attached to the base. A man and a woman appear as the central figures of the procession. He bears diamond shaped incisions on his cheeks, representing scarification patterns, and carries a large pipe in his mouth. The woman holds her long braided tresses in each hand. The remaining figures are wearing beads and/or cowrie shells. Serpents are carved along each side of the plate. In Yoruba mythology the sacred non-poisonous python in a symbol of life and eternity and, in some legends, instructs man and woman in the mystery of procreation. Cowrie shells have been used as fertility symbols for many centuries.

The Yoruba wedding is an occasion for feasting and celebrating. The festivities begin at the bride's house after dark with a feast celebrated by family and friends. The bride is dressed in her finest clothes and is blessed by her parents and then accompanied to the groom's house by the group attending the feast. The procession moves through the streets, dancing and singing to the accompaniment of hired drummers. At the groom’s home her followers stay until daybreak, singing and making merry.

This object will be on view at the Peabody Essex Museum through September, 2008 as part of the exhibition Wedded Bliss: The Marriage of Art and Ceremony.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

Mexican Brandy Still

2008-04-15T11:40:00.000-07:00

Brandy Still, c.1776-1831
Mexican origin; used Southern California
Copper; 53 x 36 in.
Gift of Mr. & Mrs. John Forster
Bowers Museum #2810

This brandy still belonged to Don Juan Forster who reportedly purchased it during one of his many sea voyages. It is the first still to be brought to Alta (Upper) California. Don Juan had a reputation for producing fine liquors and it was said that his wine could not be surpassed. Brandy was manufactured by both the missions and early rancheros for exchange with foreign traders. Brandy, and alcoholic liquor distilled from wine or fermented fruit juice, frequently served as a medicinal or curative liquid. The riveted seams of this vessel are done in a typical Spanish metal-working technique.

John Forster was the only non-Hispanic rancho grantee in Orange County. He came to California from Guaymas, Mexico in 1833 and married Maria Ysidora Pico. John Forster was so well accepted that he received a Spanish name. An Englishman who had become a Mexican citizen, John Forster appears in many of the early documents of the era as "Don Juan Forster."

All text and images under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with additional research.

Jozef Chelmonski's Sielanka (An Idyll)

2008-04-15T11:39:00.001-07:00

Sielanka (An Idyll), 1885
Jozef Chelmonski (Polish, 1849-1914)
Oil on Canvas; 48 x 28 in.
Gift of the Estate of Amadeus Gustavus Langenberger
Bowers Museum #7601

This painting by Polish artist Jozef Chelmonski, was gift from the artist to Madame Helena Modjeska (1840-1909), Poland’s most famous stage actress, and her husband Charles Bozenta Chlapowski 1868. The couple prominently displayed the painting in the library of their Modjeska Canyon home Arden. The painting exemplifies the people and landscapes of country life that Chelmonski’s work is acclaimed for.

Modjeska was already an established star on the Polish stage when she came to the U.S. in 1876. Mastering her roles in English she soon became an icon of the American stage. Madame Modjeska died in Newport Beach, April 8, 1909. In 2009, Poland will celebrate “The Year of Modjeska” and Bowers Museum is working to collaborate with Polish museums on an exhibit that celebrates her life by lending our collection of Modjeska’s costumes, textiles, jewelry, photographs, archival material and this Chelmonski painting. We look forward to updating you on this exciting project.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

Sawos Food Bowls

2008-04-15T10:00:00.000-07:00

Food Bowls, 20th century
Sawos People, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea
Ceramic and natural pigments; 12.25 diameter each
Bowers Museum #2004.6.38; 2004.6.44
Gift of Dr. and Mrs. David and Karina Rilling

These food bowls are part of a larger collection originating from the Sawos people in East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea. Each highly decorated utilitarian bowl is made by women who construct them by coiling method. Men decorate the bowls by incising curvilinear and arciform designs mirrored on two or more sides of the bowls; outstanding motifs mimic nature or are representative of spirits. After the women low fire the bowls, the men heavily apply natural red, yellow and white pigments. The bowls, despite their elaborateness, are used for everyday eating and when not in use they are stored with their openings towards the ground to ensure visibility of their beautiful designs. Sawos bowls are found throughout the middle Sepik river region because they are traded to neighboring villages for fish, tobacco and other goods.

Ceramics of Sustenance: Elaborate Vessels of the Sawos, Papua New Guinea, an exhibition featuring 32 of these ornate and finely crafted bowls will be on exhibit at the Anthropology Teaching Museum at California State University, Fullerton beginning Tuesday, April 15, 2008.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

Chinese Terracotta Horse

2008-04-09T09:42:00.001-07:00

Horse
Chinese; Song – early Ming Dynasty (AD 960-c.1460)
Terracotta; 36 x 31 in.
Gift of Heather Sacre
Bowers Museum #2001.6.1.1-.3

Horses have played a vital role in the history of China for thousands of years. Some evidence suggests that they were first domesticated as early as the 13th century BC. During the Han Dynasty the Chinese Emperor Wudi began a vigorous breeding program that introduced new horses from the north and west Asian continent. The results were larger, heftier and stronger horses especially useful in military operations. The custom of bringing found and captured horses from other regions for the purpose of developing superior breeds became customary. In this way, the horse transcended its role as transport and beast of burden and came to represent prestige, power, wealth and success. The lavish tombs of Chinese emperors and nobility often contained large and full size terracotta horses. In the most elaborate cases, terracotta horses are found accompanying chariots and as components of terracotta armies.

The horse pictured here possesses traits of good breeding and care taking including attentive ears, bulging eyes, flaring nostrils, a manicured mane and a knotted tail. The open mouth and raised front leg add to the liveliness of the horse.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

New Ireland Carving of a Fish Spirit

2008-03-28T17:32:00.000-07:00

Fish Spirit, 20th century
Artist Ben Sisia (1931- ); New Ireland
Wood, natural pigments and shell; 38.5 x 15 in.
Purchased with funds provided by Trude Jordan
2006.7.1a,b

This evil fleshless fish spirit is said to always be found swimming alone. Here his vicious fangs are thoroughly exposed and his eyes, made of shell, are full of malicious intent. Early New Ireland sculptures were destroyed or sold to collectors after they served their singular purpose as Malagan ceremonial items where they served as mythical representations in festivals to strengthen relationships and functioned in the memorial rites for the dead. In this way thousands of sculptures have found their way into public and private art collections. Sculpture is the predominant art form in New Ireland with a long tradition of carving made by the artist from memory. In fact, sculptors typically were hired by elders who gave verbal instructions for the design of an object; the artists’ dreams solidified the rest of the appearance. Still, the overall appearance and artistic traits of New Ireland sculpture has changed little over the years.

The artist Ben Sisia’s works are inspired by dreams of mystical images and visions. Sisia keeps the tradition of Malagan wood carving alive strengthening the ties between the living and spirit world.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

Mission Indians Dispatch Pouch

2008-03-27T08:46:00.000-07:00

Dispatch Pouch, c.1780-1820
Mission Indians, Southern California
Leather and California Black Bear Fur
Gift of Deborah L. Anderson
Bowers Museum # 97.20.1

String bags such as this were used to carry messages from one California mission station to another by Native American runners. Few dispatch bags have survived. Its construction is Indian, in nature, with European influence in the unique and intricate embroidery and fringe application. The body of the bag is leather with three internal compartments. The main chamber was used to house documents, and the two smaller compartments provided a space in which the runner could carry food such as nuts, seeds, berries, grain, herbs or dried fish. The outer flap is trimmed with the fur of the California Black Bear. This trim, along with being ornamental, was effective in protecting dispatches during inclement weather. Runners were chosen by the mission padres for their speed and stamina. It was considered a great honor to be the bearer of religious doctrine. Dispatch letters, new teachings in theology, convert statistics from mission to mission, and ground work for mission expansion were the types of documents transported in this bag. Native peoples who converted to Christianity simply became "Mission Indians" in spite of their tribal affiliation. Some of the tribes represented were: Pomo, Hupa, Yokuts, Miwok, Maidu, Wintun, Shasta, Karok, Yurik, Costanoan, Salinan, Chumash, Cahuilla, Chemehuevi, Panamint and Mono.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

Egyptian Ibis Sculpture

2008-03-20T13:35:00.000-07:00

Ibis
Egyptian; 24th Dynasty – Ptolemaic Period (c. 727 – 30 BC)
Wood, bronze; 5.5 x 8 in.
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Richard F. McCarthy
Bowers Museum #80.60.5

This excellent artistic rendition of a crouching ibis captures the elegance of the long-legged, curved-billed wading bird. The ibis is associated with the Egyptian god Thoth, the scribe of the gods, measurer of time and inventor of numbers. In the judgment hall of Osiris, Thoth records the results of the weighing of hearts which determines the deceased’s entry or refusal into eternal life. Egyptians attributed animal traits to gods and a composite of animal-human god representations or, the animal as an incarnation of a god itself is common. Several Egyptian archaeological sites have revealed over a million mummified ibises, some of which have been found with decorative wrappings.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

Miao Silver Head Ornament

2008-03-13T09:14:00.000-07:00

Head Ornament, 20th century
China; Guizhou Province; Miao Culture, Dandu Style
Silver and linen; 13 x 22 in.
Gift of Danny and Anne Shih
2005.32.2

This intricately designed head ornament was worn as part of a Miao woman’s costume for festive occasions. In a technique called repoussé the thin silver was embellished by hammering the opposite side to create each of the detailed patterns and motifs. Included in the design is a butterfly (an ancestor of the Miao), and other meaningful symbols including pheasants, fish, dragons, flowers, and yin-yang symbols. The linen cord still attached to one side of the forehead plate was used to secure the ornament in place. Overall the object is very light in weight and would have been easy to wear. Round attachments on the back of each of the three arms of the object would have held small bird feathers, sometimes in combination with colorful yarn, that added additional height, color and movement.

Dandu style is an attribution given to the group of Miao living in the Sandu, Duyun and Danzhai counties of China’s southeastern province of Guizhou. This group’s festival clothing includes the particular type of three-pronged festival head wear pictured here and batik-dyed spiral on yellow cloth jackets.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use.

Statue of Saint Anthony

2008-03-06T12:13:00.000-08:00

Statue of Saint Anthony of Padua, c. 1800
Made in Mexico; Used in Southern California
Wood, gesso, paint, cloth, glass, and silver; 60” height
Gift of Rosita Yorba Locke
20786

One of the most treasured objects of the Bowers Museum is the beautiful and historically significant hand carved wooden statue of Saint Anthony, the patron saint of lost items, the poor and oppressed, and travelers. Carried from Mexico in the late 18th century the statue was bought for 60 pesos by the Mission San Juan Capistrano in 1801 and placed in the Serra Chapel. Infant Jesus rests in Saint Anthony’s left arm, a characteristic common to most representations of the Saint since the 17th century. The details of the head and hands are executed in gesso and the areas of the exposed skin are finished by an enamel-like appearance created through the application of successive layers of thin gesso. The eyes are made of glass covered with opaque paint. A careful examination of the robe reveals slight impressions of a floral design indicating that at one time it had a covering of fabric, probably mixed with gesso and pressed onto the figure. Around the waist of the figure is a cord, a personal item of Father Joseph Thomson, to which 35 small votive silver offerings called milagros (miracles) suspend. These miniature silver charms in the shape of arms, legs, coins and medallions are the expressions of thanks and devotion left with the Saint for his intervention in matters that relate to each milagro's form.

In the first half of the 19th century the Mission and its residents suffered from a terrible drought that left the land parched and killed off livestock. Facing starvation, they were relieved by land owner Bernardo Yorba who relieved the situation by delivering cattle and spring water from his ranch. The statue was gifted to Yorba by the Mission padres of San Juan Capistrano in gratitude. It remained in the Yorba family until it was gifted to the Bowers Museum in 1954.

Postcard of Statue of Saint Anthony of Padua at Bowers Museum, c. 1960
Artvue Post Card Co.; NY
Printed paper; 3.5 x 5.5

All images and text under copyright. Please contact the Collection Department for permission to use.

Pende Inititiation Mask

2008-02-28T12:16:00.000-08:00

Initiation Mask, 20th Century
Pende people; Democratic Republic of the Congo
Wood, fiber, pigment and metal; 16 x 10 x 10 1/2 in.
F78.56.2
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Gamson

This mask with a triangular face, domed forehead, closed eyes, flaring nostrils and half-open mouth revealing sharpened teeth is typical of a Mbuyu initiation mask. The coiffure made of black dyed raffia with four conical horns is also indicative of such a mask. Each Pende mask has its own name, characteristics and social purpose. This one would have been worn by a man while performing at popular dances and during ceremonies that celebrated the initiation of a new generation of boys. In addition to the mask, a costume, music, and choreographed dance with specific gesture and audience interactivity, would be developed by the performer. In fact, the mask was created only after the performer had perfected the music, costume and choreography for the particular occasion. The mask's carved facial features combined with the dancer's gestures would clearly present the attitude and social standing of a known cultural character; this particular mask may represent a character of spiritual or heroic importance. When not in use it would be hidden from sight .

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

Solomon Islands Canoe Prow

2008-02-20T11:53:00.000-08:00

Canoe Prow Ornament (nguzu-nguzu), 20th century
Solomon Islands, Melanesia
Wood, shell and paint; 13 x 7 in.
Gift of Dwight V. Strong
84.37.12

Early Solomon Islanders were noted for their aggressive attacks on neighboring islands and head-hunting activities. Expeditions to neighboring islands were carried out in large highly decorated canoes capable of holding several dozen warriors at once. Ornaments with human features called nguzu-nguzu, were attached to the tall prow (front most part) of the canoe just above the waterline. Generally believed to represent spirits who provided protection and guaranteed the success of expeditions, it has also been suggested that the pronounced heads were intended to strike fear of decapitation into enemies.

Traces of the black paint that once covered the prow ornament pictured here is still visible. Inlaid iridescent shell mimicking the design of ceremonial face paint or tattoo marks, provides an element of contrast and beauty. Pierced elongated earlobes and headwear (possibly a hairstyle) are also decorated with shells. The sloping of the figure’s face and exaggerated features are characteristics of nguzu-nguzu. The figure’s forward extending arms end in large hands providing a resting place for the chin while providing structural strength to the overall carving.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact the Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

Photograph of Charles and Ada Bowers and Home

2008-02-12T14:52:00.001-08:00

Photograph of Ada and Charles Bowers with Home
American; c. 1910
Photographer unknown
Gift of Charles and Ada Bowers
Bowers Museum #88A

Two important events in the history of the Bowers Museum occurred during this week of February in 1932 and in 1936.

The beautiful white home shown in this rarely published photograph was located on the corner of 20th and Main St. in Santa Ana. Charles W. Bowers inherited the home from his parents and in 1908 it became the residence of Charles, then 63 years old, and his new bride Ada Elvira Bowers. The picture above (shot from 20th St. looking north) shows the couple in front of their home flanked by lush landscaping and large trees, many of which still grace the property today.

The Bowers were described as quiet and conservative people who took great interest in history. Desiring that Orange County’s history be preserved, the couple set up a trust that, upon their deaths, transferred ownership of their property to the City of Santa Ana for the specific purpose of constructing and maintaining a museum. A year after Ada passed away, the City of Santa Ana razed the Bowers’ home and on February 15, 1932 contractor William Rohrbacher began the construction of the Charles W. Bowers Memorial Museum. The structure was Spanish in style complete with a courtyard containing a large fountain designed by Ada May Sharpless depicting the explorer Juan Cabrillo, and interior ceiling murals of scenes of California history painted by Martin Syvertsen.

With the Great Depression taking a toll on operational and maintenance costs, the collecting of objects to be acquired for exhibition, and the interior furniture of the museum to be constructed, it was not until almost exactly four years after construction began that the Museum opened to the public on February 13, 1936. Noted objects on exhibit at the Museum’s opening include Native American cog stones, a large bone from a prehistoric sea animal, and objects from San Juan Capistrano and the Southern California Rancho period.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

"Confirmation Class" by Fanny Eliza Duvall

2008-01-11T14:49:00.000-08:00

Confirmation Class, San Juan Capistrano, 1897
Fanny Eliza Duvall (American, 1861-1934)
Oil on canvas; 20 x 30 in.
Gift of Miss Vesta A. Olmstead and Miss Frances Campbell
Bowers Museum #8214

Fannie Duvall studied in New York before moving to Los Angeles in 1888. She was one of the earliest accomplished artists to settle in the Southland. Throughout the 1890s when she produced oil and pastel landscape and still life paintings, she was at her artistic peak. Fannie Duvall was one of the first local artists to adopt the new theories of Impressionism. In 1893, she produced a masterpiece, "Chrysanthemum Garden in Southern California" which was shown at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. (Unfortunately this work burned in the infamous Oakland fire.) "Confirmation Class", depicting a scene at the San Juan Capistrano mission, shows how she found California themes to satisfy Impressionist formats. Girls heading to confirmation via a mission garden is a local translation of the popular French theme of women dressed in white standing in flower gardens. After 1900, Duvall considered Los Angeles her home, although she spent much of her time abroad in study and travel.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

Cog Stones

2008-01-11T09:54:00.000-08:00

Cog Stones, suggested date 6000-3500 B.C.
Milling Stone Horizon Peoples; Southern California
Various stones including basalt; average dimension: 3.75 x 1.5 in.
Gifts of Chas M. Decker, Mary J. Newland and Hirim Whisler
Bowers Museum #478, 536, 11669, 3649, 477

Known as cog stones or cogged stones, these archaeological materials have been found throughout the Southern California area with large deposits found along the Santa Ana River valley. Cog stones are named so because of their indentations that give them the appearance much like that of a cogwheel. Some cog stones are pierced through the center and others have flat surfaces. Four separate styles have been identified based on perforation and groove depth and length. Cog stones are remarkable in that they are found nowhere else in the world and archaeologists and scholars are unsure what their exact function was. The stones’ enigmatic status has led researchers to develop several theories of their purpose, including that the objects served a ritual purpose. Usually found on ocean bluffs or other coastal hilly areas, the stones are attributed to the ancient and non-nomadic people of the Milling Stone Horizon culture.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

Pieced Patchwork Quilt

2008-01-09T11:30:00.000-08:00

Pieced Patchwork Quilt, after 1892
American; Made by Madam Schumann-Heink (1881-1936)
Silk, sateen, ribbon and cotton; 68 x 59.5 in.
Gift of Mrs. Dorothy F. Sorensen
Bowers Museum #39680

This visually outstanding quilt in a Chinese Coins or Roman Stripe pattern was hand pieced together by Madam Schumann-Heink. Eight strips of ribbon and colored silks are separated by strips of black silk, embroidered with feather and double-feather stitches done in yellow and orange to enhance the black borders. In addition the quilt is bordered by folded embellished triangles and is backed by gold silk. Many of the fabrics were worn by Madam Schumann-Heink during the course of her career as a concert artist. Born near Prague, she made her American debut in Chicago in 1898, and appeared one year later at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. Considered by critics to be the greatest contralto of her time, with a repertoire of over 150 roles, she made many early phonograph records and one Hollywood movie in 1936, “Here’s to Romance.” She retired to La Jolla in 1913. Some of the printed ribbons display interesting historical details including one commemorating “National Public School Celebration, Columbus Day, October 21st 1492-1892.”

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

Feast Bowl from Bipi Island

2008-01-03T16:14:00.000-08:00

Feast Bowl (brukei), c.1900
Bipi Island, Northwest Admiralty Islands, Papua New Guinea
Wood, parinarium nut mastic; 25 3/8 in. diameter
Purchased with funds provided by the Jordan Community Trust
Bowers Museum #2007.20.1

This beautiful carved wood feast bowl originates from Bipi Island, one of the forty islands that make up the Admiralty Island group, found approximately 190 miles off the coast of Papua New Guinea. The bowl’s large scale, fine carving, and decorative elements in the shape of symbolically important animals (Frigate birds and lizards or crocodiles joined at the tails), are indications of this feast bowl’s significance. The dark brown color with a velvety sheen is evidence that the bowl has been much handled, used and treasured throughout many generations. A further example of the attention and care the bowl has received is the original repair to a split in the wood made by using natural paste from the parinarium nut. As is the style of traditional Admiralty Island carving, the bowl has a four foot base and bears opposing double-arced designs near the rim. The feast bowl, no doubt a prized possession for its owner(s), would have been used during important ceremonial occasions involving food.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

Powder Horn from the French and Indian War

2007-12-27T15:51:00.000-08:00

Powder Horn, 1754-1763
American; French and Indian War Period
Horn and wood; 10.25” L
Gift of Mrs. H. Merritt Adamson
Bowers Museum #6367

This engraved powder horn was carried by a soldier of the French and Indian War. The horn would have been filled with powder used to fire a musket. Powder horns were usually engraved with their owner’s name and a variety of other personalized and meaningful texts and images. The engravings were either made by the owner or were taken to professional engravers; this particular horn was executed by the soldier who carried it. The engraved lines were filled to clarify and accentuate the designs and this original brown and red tinting is retained within this object’s lines.

The horn depicts a pictorial map. At the top a full sailed ship floats in a body of water that eventually tapers into a river. Five forts are engraved throughout the map as well as two tall pine trees, a small lake containing two islands and winding rivers, probably representing the Hudson and Mohawk. The main decorative element is a heraldic shield featuring the British lion and unicorn. Below the shield are the initials F.N.P., to the right the initials S.F. and above the shield is a fort (perpendicularly orientated) flying the British flag. The engraved “OSAWEGO” (incorrectly spelled with a letter “a”) refers to the British fort established first as a trading post in 1722 and increasingly enlarged and fortified with thick walls and bastions. The fort was captured and destroyed by 5000 French and Native American soldiers on August 14, 1755. Old Fort Ontario is presently located on the U.S. Military Reservation at Oswego.

All text and images under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use.

Batak Medicine Horn

2007-12-20T11:01:00.000-08:00

Medicine Horn (naga marsarang)
Toba Batak People; Sumatra, Indonesia
Buffalo horn, wood, fiber,brass; 22 in. x 12 in.
Purchased with Funds Provided by Don and Barbara Greek
Bowers Museum #2004.67.1

The Toba Batak people live in the northern mountainous highlands of Sumatra, one of the several islands that constitute the Republic of Indonesia. A medicine horn (naga marsarang) such as the one pictured here would have belonged to a religious specialist who was able to communicate with the gods, conduct ceremonies, practice benevolent and malevolent magic, and provide assistance and advice in matters concerning daily life. The medicine horn functioned as a container for a highly potent substance considered magical and even deadly. The substance, called pupuk was prepared, used and handled only by Batak religious specialists.

The carved container is a composite of buffalo horn and carved wood; these pieces are held together with two wood pegs on opposite sides of each other. Overall the medicine horn is incised with repeating bands of zigzagging lines and swirling patterns. The main body of the horn is carved in relief with elegant long lines terminating in round scalloped edges. The tip of the horn depicts a human form sitting atop a zoomorphic creature that has a curled tail and repeating triangular patterned skin; the horns of the creature are grasped tightly by the figure. The wood element of the medicine horn represents a singa, a mythological animal considered to have protective qualities and commonly incorporated into Toba house design and decorated objects of importance. Four human figures in kneeling position along the back of the singa’s neck hold each other around the waist; the front most figure holds the singa’s central and most prominent horn.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

Inuit Fishhook

2007-12-13T10:19:00.000-08:00

Fishing Hook, late 19th – 20th century
Inuit Culture; Seward Peninsula Area, Alaska
Walrus ivory, lead, glass bead, metal, nylon; 4 1/8 x 2 1/4 in.
Bowers Museum #39352
Gift of Mrs. Belden Morgan

Carved from walrus ivory this Inuit made fishhook cleverly resembles a fish. In addition to inlaid round blue glass eyes and lead details, two designs (now only partially inlaid with lead) are carved into each side of the body - one in the shape of a fish. Originating from the Alaskan Seward Peninsula area, the hook was used for ice hole fishing. A sinew (animal tendon) cord would have been connected through the hole where the red nylon cord is currently. The inlaid lead gives the object weight that allowed it to function both as a sinker as well as a hook. Once the fishing hook was dropped into an ice hole it was made to wiggle around in the water. This attracted fish that would bite on to the large bent metal hook. The Inuit created different shaped fishhooks for catching specific fish. This particular type of hook likely was used to catch Whitefish.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

William Wendt's Trees They Are My Friends

2007-12-05T16:45:00.000-08:00

William Wendt
Trees They Are My Friends, c.1935
Oil on canvas; 24 x 32 in.
Bowers Museum #F7685
Gift of Martha C. Stevens Memorial Art Collection

The Bowers Museum is fortunate to own several fine landscapes by William Wendt, a self-trained artist from Chicago who settled in Los Angeles in 1906. Wendt was at one time called "the dean of Los Angeles landscapists" because he was one of the most talented and because he outlived many of his generation's artists. Wendt liked to make long sketching excursions into the country where he could commune with nature and paint on-site. His landscapes, unlike those of the "Eucalyptus School" artists, had sound underlying structure, natural and organic colors, and his compositions were derived from the actual geological formations that he viewed in person rather than composed from imagination in a studio. Unlike some artists whose careers peaked shortly after leaving art school and then declined, he produced stronger and bolder work as he aged.

The recently conserved Trees They Are My Friends will be placed on loan to Laguna Art Museum for the exhibition William Wendt: A Retrospective from November 9, 2008 until February 8, 2009.

Signed photograph of William Wendt from the

Evelyna Nunn Miller Photographic Library

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

Jaguar Metate from Costa Rica

2007-11-28T16:54:00.000-08:00

Metate, c.300-700 A.D.
Nicoya Region, Costa Rica
Volcanic stone; 31 in. x 12 in. x 12 in.
Purchased with funds provided by Dr. James Block Pick and Dr. Rosalyn M. Laudati
97.40.1

Made of volcanic stone this intricately carved metate is the finest of Bowers Museum’s Costa Rican stone work collection. The tripod metate has three slab legs with incised geometric designs and openwork carving that has been suggested to represent a repeating upside down parrot motif. The head is an effigy of a feline, specifically a jaguar. The area of the head between the top of the nose and the crest of the head consists of two strands of undulating stone lines that create a band of repeating diamond shapes. With lips pulled back and sharp teeth bared the jaguar is obviously portrayed in a ferocious manner. Along the object’s back is an eloquently sloped plate with rimless border; an interlocking pattern appears on each of the plates longest sides.

Most metates are used as surfaces for the grinding and preparation of foods. Elaborate metates such as the one pictured here however are associated with high status and wealth and were commonly placed within graves of prominent individuals. It is not entirely impossible that metates of this quality may have served in food related ceremonial circumstance during life, but the fact that it is very uncommon to unearth a metate together with a mano (the tool used to grind foodstuffs on a metate’s plate) has discouraged such an idea.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

Celery Vases, Photograph and Pamphlet

2007-11-21T14:39:00.000-08:00

Pamphlet, c.1900
Orange County, California The Most Celebrated Celery District in the World
Bowers Museum #31462

Printed for the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce about 1900 this pamphlet heralds Orange County as The Most Celebrated Celery District in the World. The pamphlet is an early example of promotional material intended to draw investors and residents to the area – but why use celery? Celery gained popularity as a food especially during the late 19th century. Difficult to grow and costly to buy, celery was an extravagant delicacy. Stalks placed in water were the featured centerpiece of tables - small indicators of a home’s status and wealth. Celery Vases like the ones pictured below were used specifically for this purpose. (Incidentally the Celery Vase was replaced by the horizontal Celery Dish once the food became more ordinary and easier to obtain). In 1900 Orange County celery growers were able to produce an abundant two crops a year and were exporting 1800 train car loads of the food annually! The photograph below shows men working an Orange County celery field circa 1900. On the horse drawn cart are hundreds of well crated stalks.

Celery Fields, c.1900
Photograph by Cochems
Bowers Museum #33578

Celery Vases
Wheeling, West Virginia, c.1870-1881; 10 in. height Indiana Glass Company c.1890; 6 in. height
Pressed glass designs
Bowers Museum #82.49.4 and 33756A

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

Danganan (Ceremonial Sword Handle), Mindanao Island, Philippines

2007-11-14T14:38:00.000-08:00

Danganan, early 20th century
Maranao Culture, Mindanao Island, Philippines
Ivory, copper, silver and wood; 8 in x 5.5 in.
Bowers Museum #96.27.1
Pick Laudati Fund Purchase

This exquisite and rare example of a danganan (ceremonial sword handle) once belonged to a Maranao royal. The danganan dates to the first half of the 19th century, a time between the fall of the old royal sultanate and the Spanish occupation of the southern Philippine island of Mindanao. During this time several claimants and out right pretenders made attempts to establish power and declare rule over their own sultanates. The danganan, a symbol of authority and power, functioned like a scepter and was part of the “sultans’” regalia. The ivory knob is shaped as a stylized bird, the mythical sarimanok – the symbol of Maranao royalty, its people and of the high lake region they are associated with.

Islamic influence has shaped much of Maranao culture and the wide bands stamped with shaped tools are evidence of such influence. The elaborate shaft is covered in rings of silver, the narrower of which are worked to show texture. Alternating bands of gilt copper rings are overlaid with gold. Because the object is ceremonial in purpose, the blade attached to it, if any, would have likely been made of wood.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

Bena Biombo Mask

2007-11-07T17:35:00.000-08:00

Helmet Mask, 20th Century
Bena Biombo people; Democratic Republic of the Congo
Wood, paint and feather; 15 1/2 x 12 x 5 7/8 in.
F78.4.1
Bowers Museum Foundation Acquisition Fund Purchase

Within the Kasai province in central Democratic Republic of Congo are a number of very small, sometimes ancient tribes who have retained their individuality. Among them are the Bena Biombo who are best known for their masks of diverse type. This mask with half-closed eyes and arched eyebrows radiates a peaceful, benevolent air. The incised geometric designs across the cheeks and chin indicate tribal scarifications. Although Bena Biombo masks resemble those neighboring tribes, the three appendages on top of the head identify this mask as originating with the Bena Biombo. Feathers are attached to the top of the mask when it is worn. A woven support of reed encases the back of the mask to provide a secure fit for the wearer's head and ruffled grass extends from the back of the meshed reed around to the front of the mask. Although masks of this type may have served other religious and ceremonial purposes at an earlier date, today they are used primarily for entertainment and masquerades.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

Stone Bowl (Mortar) from Papua New Guinea

2007-10-31T15:42:00.000-07:00

Stone Bowl (Mortar), c.1500 B.C.
Highland Region, Papua New Guinea
14 in. diameter x 8.5 in height
Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Long Shung and Anne Shih
Bowers Museum#2003.49.1

Stone bowls used as mortars and other stone works found in the Highland Region of Papua New Guinea are the earliest known examples of sculpture throughout the entire Oceanic region which includes the sub-regions of Micronesia, Melanesia and Polynesia. The dense stone is heavy, weighing approximately 60 pounds. The outer surface is rough in texture and is void of any decoration except for a single stylized human face under the rim of the bowl; far more commonly found on stone mortars is a single representation of a bird. The interior of the bowl is very smooth, dark in color and is deeply depressed, undoubtedly from the repeated pounding of a pestle.

The exact use of Neolithic mortars from Papua New Guinea is unknown and theories have ranged from ceremonial to practical including: water receptacles used as mirrors, drinking sources, mortars for the grinding of minerals, medicines or food sources. It is possible that these utilitarian bowls were multi-purpose in function. During early excavations and findings, local peoples were asked the significance of such bowls, but no certain explanations were, or yet to be, produced.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

Early Photographs and Fire Nozzle from Santa Ana's Fire Department

2007-10-25T14:42:00.000-07:00

Hook and Ladder Volunteer Firemen of Santa Ana; May 1, 1888
Photo by B. F. Conaway, Santa Ana
Photograph mounted on cardboard; 8.5 x 5.25 in.
#2821

This photograph was taken five years after Santa Ana's volunteer fire department had been officially organized on November 1, 1883 nearly 124 years ago. At that time the men would race to the location of an emergency with hand pulled hose carts. Because all of the city's water came from the same source, private wells and cisterns, it soon became against the law for any citizen to use water during a fire since it lowered the water pressure needed to extinguish a blaze. The men pictured in the photograph include (beginning in the back row on the left): W.C. Young who became Chief Engineer in 1900, Ed Swanson, Frank Young, Wolfe Nigg, George Sunderling and Ed Waite. In the front row beginning on the left: A.C. Curtis, Ed Mosbaugh, W.C. Watkins, W.C. England, Lincoln Sherrard, Fred Hewitt, Chief Engineer James Brown, Ransom Reid and John Yost. The photograph shows the men relaxing during an outing to the shore.

Fire Hose Nozzle, c.1884
Manufactured by Allen Fire Department Supply Co., Providence Rhode Island
Metal, brass and cord;
36 x 6 in.
#2679

First purchased in 1884 by the Santa Ana Fire Department, this nozzle for a fire hose was used continuously until the year 1932. The nozzle has a detachable tip made of brass as are the hand grips and female union. The 28 inch red nozzle is made of wrapped cord that has been lacquered. In the 1915 photograph below the nozzle can be seen standing upright on the back step of the fire truck on the right.

Santa Ana Fire Department, 1915
Photographic print; 8 x 10 in.
#F76.14.83

In 1914 the department received its first motorized fire truck for which they hired a full-time and paid driver, Monte Jackson. Jackson, pictured here would eventually become Fire Chief in 1917. Also pictured here is John Luxembourger who would succeed Jackson only one year later in 1918. The fire house was located on Sycamore between 3rd and 4th Streets in Santa Ana. This picture of the fire crew sitting on two "White" model trucks was taken in 1915.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

18th Century Chinese Watercolors for Export

2007-10-18T09:29:00.001-07:00

Chinese Export Paintings, 1644-1911 A.D.
Han people;Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Watercolor on pith; 3 x 4 1/2 in.
32203A
Gift of Miss Ruth Myers

Painted on pith, a delicate and transparent vegetable-based paper, these tiny portrayals of Chinese people are vivid in color and in their ability to capture the imagination. The paintings are part of a ten painting set placed in a glass-topped box which allows the uppermost of the stack to be displayed. First brought to America by merchants, missionaries and sailors as souvenirs, the small trading card-like paintings were an instant hit with an audience who had little to no visual exposure to Chinese people, customs, or life. By 1830 the cards were able for purchase from dealers first in New York and then throughout the U.S. The demand for such items fueled watercolor production in China and assembly lines of artists began turning out thousands of the small images representing a broad spectrum of subject matters including ranks of people from commoners to the Emperor himself, views of cities, animal and plant life, daily work and professions, ceremonies, transportation devices, opium and tea production, torture techniques and various other customs. To satisfy Western taste and curiosity, the painters favored the idealistic and embellished over the strictly realistic.

This particular set of watercolors includes several depictions of people - wealthy and elaborately dressed men and women, working class people, and a woman with an opened shirt holding an infant. The popularity of these paintings predates the prolific collecting and distribution of Cabinet Cards in America by more than 30 years. Like the Chinese watercolors, the photographic images mounted on paper board documented an encyclopedic amount of imagery and subject matter from the world over.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

Potlatch Bowl by Don "Lelooska" Smith

2007-10-10T10:37:00.000-07:00

Potlatch Bowl, c. 1985
Don Lelooska Smith (1933-1996); Cherokee/Kwakiutl Culture
Wood, shell and mother-of-peral; 9 x 12 x 23 1/2 in.
86.51.1
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Charles D. Aberle

This potlatch bowl was made by Don “Lelooska” Smith (1933-1996) a Native American carver of Cherokee and European ancestry. Lelooska’s Kwakiutl (Kwakwaka’wakw) style carvings, and costumed performances, brought the sculptor attention throughout the 1960s and 1970s. This particular bowl is carved in the antique style and represents a sea otter. The bowl is made of stained brown cedar with abalone shell inlaid eyes and embedded cowrie shells around the bowl. A potlatch bowl is a personal food dish used during potlatch ceremony. Most are zoomorphic in form as well as mythically significant and symbolic of one’s status.

Potlatch has been practiced for thousands of years by some indigenous peoples on the Pacific North West. A potlatch ceremony usually celebrates a significant event in a family such as a birth, rite of passage, wedding, funeral or the honoring of the dead. The potlatch host’s wealth is measured by the giving away of food and gifts gathered for the event. Potlatch invitees could be made up of local guests or of a more elite group of guests from many tribes from different areas. In the past, most ceremonies occurred inside a large longhouse and lasted several days. Speeches, feasting and gift-giving occurred as did singing and dancing. Masks and headdresses depicting supernatural beings were performed. Overall the event was a demonstration of the host’s generosity and wealth.

Today potlatches still occur but, with adjustments for modern times. Cultural significance of the ceremony remains in place and gift giving patterns are reminiscent of the earlier periods of the ceremony. A family must plan for months and thousands of dollars are saved to host the hundreds of invited guests who receive food, gifts such as household necessities and money. Instead of lasting several days, potlatches are usually limited to the weekend to accommodate work schedules.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

Portrait of Don Jose Andres Sepulveda, c. 1856 by Henri Joseph Penelon

2007-10-03T16:38:00.000-07:00

Painting
Equestrian Portrait of Don Jose Andres Sepulveda, c.1856
Henri Joseph Penelon
Oil on canvas; 43 in. x 35 in.
Bowers Museum#2429

Artist Henri Joseph Penelon, born in Lyon, France in 1827 and active in El Pueblo de los Angeles by 1853 was an active painter and daguerreotype photographer. In 1853 the year in which Penelon arrived in Los Angeles, photography was a little over ten years old and the Pueblo boasted of only four photographers - the city's population amounted to roughly 2,500 inhabitants. Penelon photographed and painted oil portraits of leading citizens and even decorated the front of the plaza church with ornamentation and religious painting. This painting made in 1856 depicts Don Jose Andres Sepulveda, who was a major landholder, (Sepulveda owned Rancho San Juaquin made up of much of what is now considered Orange County) and known for his flashy costumes, hospitality and daring bets.

The portrait shows Sepulveda astride Black Swan, a mare imported from Australia, which Sepulveda matched against former California governor Pio Pico’s unbeaten horse Sarco in a nine mile race. The men wagered $25,000 and 1500 livestock including calves, heifers and horses. The race, with all Southern California on the side lines and making fantastic bets, was run in Los Angeles in 1852 and won by Black Swan. Sepulveda’s son-in-law and a witness to the race wrote later that not much of it could be seen except for the start and the finish because the wild mustard plants stood ten feet high on both sides of the road. Soon after the race Sepulveda took Black Swan to El Refugio, the elaborate adobe home and acreage he had purchased from Domingo Yorba about 1854. El Refugio was located near present day First and Sullivan Streets in Santa Ana. It has been said the family used to feed the horse sugar from the veranda.

The elaborate saddle with removable portion shown in the portrait was of the type developed in the period between 1820 and 1840; it has been suggested to be the finest ever produced in California. Made of black leather the saddle and coverings were embroidered with silver thread.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

Soul Boats with Figures, Kuna Culture, Panama

2007-09-26T15:17:00.000-07:00

Soul Boats, 20th century
Kuna people; Panama
Balsa wood and pigment; 26.5 x 12 x 31 in; 25 x 8 x 26 in.
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest and Auguste Roschen
Gift of 96.5.1; 96.5.2

The Kuna people of Panama are best known for their colorful textiles called molas and much research and many exhibitions have been dedicated to this aspect of their artistic production. Far less common are studies of Kuna three dimensional works of art. The Bowers Museum has within its permanent collection two remarkable Kuna sculptures collected by the donor in Panama, 1923. These sculptures representing boats are made from lightweight balsa wood, nails and pigment and are incredibly rare because of their size, age and especially because there are very few other known examples. Each boat is decorated with geometric designs and filled many human shaped figures (17 in one and 23 in the other) and alligators. Some of the figures are larger in size than others and wear headdresses. Other figures appear to be armed with weapons and the figures perched atop poles hold drums.

Soul boats were placed in tombs along with food and the deceased's possessions for the journey to the afterlife. It has been suggested that the pair of these important sculptures may represent the sun and the moon. The Kuna carve figures to represent both benevolent and malevolent spirits that assist in achieving protection, health, success, etc., and no doubt some, if not all of the figures here represent such spirits. A death related Kuna myth tells of the battle between enemy spirits and benevolent spirits that takes place in the layer of underworld with flowing rivers. These two sculptures could possibly be representations of such a myth.

All images and text copyright Bowers Museum. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use.Information subject to change with further research.

Toraja Coffin

2007-09-20T13:32:00.001-07:00

Erong (coffin)
Toraja People; Sulawesi
Wood and pigment; 46.5 x 37 x 104 in.
2004.42.1

This beautifully incised coffin is carved to represent a buffalo, a symbol of protection, status and wealth in Toraja culture. Additionally, the coffin lid mimics the saddle shape of a Toraja house roof. Toraja homes, besides being symbols of status and wealth, are built to reflect the cosmic order of earth (the living quarters), the roof (the heavens), and below the home (the underworld). Homes are frequently covered with horns of buffalo, and coffins similar to the one pictured here, are known to have real buffalo horns incorporated into their design in place of carved wood. The Toraja home and the buffalo endlessly intertwine in life as well as in death.

Upon death, the deceased is wrapped in cloth and covered in red felt. It is then moved into the family home where it is kept until the family has enough funds to pay for a funeral. Funerals are elaborate and expensive and the deceased is kept in the home sometimes up to several years as a family saves for this event. Until the first buffalo is slaughtered for the funeral, the deceased person is considered very sick and ill; it is the funeral ceremonies and activities that provide passage to the afterlife. During the funeral the body is removed from the family's home and carried in a procession to its final resting place. In past times bodies were placed in coffins placed in large caverns or caves. The Toraja eventually stopped using coffins for burials instead preferring to deposit the wrapped bodies into carved rock chambers.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.

Mantle, Chimu Culture, Peru

2007-09-12T14:03:00.000-07:00

Mantle, c. 1200-1500 A.D.
Chimu culture; North Coast Peru
Alpaca wool and cotton; 38 x 41 1/2 in.
91.26.479
Gift of Roy and Bentley Dillard

Vibrant in color and outstanding in quality this man’s woven mantle is one of the Bowers Museum’s most exceptional Peruvian textiles. A mantle is a cape or cloak worn around and over the shoulders and this example is evidence of the high level of artistry achieved in Chimu textile production. The decoration consists of bands of positive upward-pointing stepped frets in red representing feminine earth forces and negative downward-pointing stepped frets in white as negative design representing the masculine sky forces. The union of the two implies fertility, harmony and balance. These essential ideas are repeated in the union of spiraling crook-elements also arranged in paired downward and upward pointing bands. Note that the downward pointing bands are a lighter red than their opposites. The hanging fringe lends the added visual effect of movement. Evidence shows that men's costumes consisted of a tunic, loincloth, headwear and mantle often with similar design elements (Rowe, Costumes and Featherwork of the Lords of Chimor).

The Chimu flourished in the well-irrigated valleys of the Peruvian North Coast. The large metropolitan capitol city of Chan Chan was their economic and cultural center. The Chimu were witness to the rise of the powerful and far reaching Incan Empire which, they were eventually absorbed into.

All images and text under copyright. Please contact Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.