Shoulder Cape (Pelerine)

1830–60

Not on view

By the nineteenth century, American Indian life had changed dramatically from that originally encountered by Europeans some centuries earlier. The growth of the colonies, then the gradual establishment of permanent states in the federal union had, with the ever-increasing numbers of settlers, continually restricted Native activities and Native peoples. Material adaptations to their changed circumstances took various forms, many of which were extremely inventive. The initial inclusion of indigenous materials such as birch bark, porcupine quills, moosehair, and feathers into objects of Euro-American form but Native use would eventually lead to works such as boxes, chair seats, and pincushions that relied on the Native materials for their appeal. Intentionally made for sale and produced to please western tastes, they maintained a necessary degree of “Indianness” in order to validate a Native American form of exoticism. Hybrid in origin, these works succeed artistically because of their exuberant imagination.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Title: Shoulder Cape (Pelerine)
Date: 1830–60
Geography: United States
Culture: Great Lakes
Medium: Feathers, cotton
Dimensions: H. 36 x W. 61 in. (91.4 x 154.9 cm)
Classification: Textiles-Featherwork
Credit Line: Purchase, Sacred Circles Fund Gift and funds from various donors, 2007
Object Number: 2007.252
Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

More Artwork

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Shoulder Cape (Pelerine), cotton, feathers, Native American(?) — Shoulder Cape (Pelerine)
Native American(?)
1830–50

Shield with Supernatural Being, Wood (probably willow), muslin, pigment, ink, wool cloth, cotton string, turkey, hawk, owl and eagle feathers, Cheyenne or Lakota (Teton Sioux) — Shield with Supernatural Being
Cheyenne or Lakota (Teton Sioux)
ca. 1890

Feather Headdress, Eagle feathers, native tanned leather, rawhide, wool cloth and yarn, cotton cloth, glass beads, ermine, silk ribbon and horsehair, Oglala Lakota (Teton Sioux) — Feather Headdress
Oglala Lakota (Teton Sioux)
ca. 1865

Shoulder bag, Delaware Artist Native American, Wool cloth, cotton cloth, wool yarn, glass beads, silk cloth, silk ribbon, and metal cones, Delaware — Shoulder bag
Delaware Artist
ca. 1840

Sun Dance Painting, Pigment on muslin, Lakota (Teton Sioux) — Sun Dance Painting
Lakota (Teton Sioux)
ca. 1890

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