A Lakota warrior’s feather headdress North or South Dakota, United States of America 1910 - 1930

Unknown artist

201 cm
Price on request

Zebregs & Röell - Fine Art - Antiques

• About the artwork
  H. 201 cm (incl. standard)
  
  This ritual headdress consists of an assembly of 28 eagle feathers attached to a leather and felt hat using pieces of red fabric from uniforms of the American army or long strips of fabric of English origin exchanged at trading posts.
  
  The feathers belong to the Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) and are decorated at the end with dyed red horsehair (Equus caballus). The top of the cap is ornamented with bells and fur that are visible between the feathers above the beaded band. A multicoloured beaded band featuring geometric patterns reminiscent of the shape of tepees unfolds at the forehead. The beads came from exchanges with American traders. Furthermore, the headdress has side pendants made of strips of coloured fabric. At the back of the headdress, under the central feather, a beautiful decorative element can be seen: a braided and dyed porcupine quill and a set of brown eagle feathers.
  
  This type of eagle feather headdress was the most important and imposing symbol of prestige for the warriors of the Plains. Only prominent warriors earned the right to wear a full-feather headdress. According to the Lakota, the eagle is the symbol of sacred warrior power. More specifically, the eagle is considered the 'master of the sky and the birds', and its feathers are symbols of bravery and wisdom.
  
  The down feathers, undulating with the slightest breath of air, were seen as a tool of communication with the spirit world. The making of a headdress gave rise to numerous ceremonies and songs celebrating the valour of the warrior for whom the headdress was intended. During the making of the headdress, each time a feather was added, one of the great feats of arms of the warrior was recalled. As such, once the headdress is finished, it constitutes a trophy recalling the many victories of the warrior and, more broadly, of the whole tribe. Within the tribe, only the chiefs and a limited number of men were authorized to wear a war cap. The wearing of the headdress was absolute proof of bravery in battle, and all members of the tribe owed respect to whoever wore it. Today, native leaders present feather headdresses to government officials and politicians to signify a diplomatic relationship.
  
  This headdress was probably brought to Europe by a Lakota tribesman. Several groups of Lakota travelled Europe to perform and showcase their culture. During the expositions, they were often placed in a village-like setting where spectators could view them like in a zoo.
  
  A comparable headdress can be found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (on loan from the Eugene and Clare Thaw Collection, Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown).
  
  Sources:
  Marc Petit, Mémoires Indiennes, Champollion Museum, Figeac, 2011
  Steve Friesen, Lakota Performers in Europe: Their Culture and the Artifacts They Left Behind, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, 2017
• About the artist

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