The Bai ra Ngesechel ar Cherchar shortly after being constructedImage courtesy of Frieda Wray Grand Opening Openings are extravagant affairs. If all goes to plan they only happen once, so to commemorate the moment there should be a grand party with musicians, speakers thanking all those involved and, most importantly, there should be a pair of comi...
Bai Model, mid 20th CenturyPalau, MicronesiaWood; 5 1/4 × 3 × 11 3/4 in.2019.17.5Gift of Frieda O. Wray from the Estate of Dr. & Mrs. Douglas and Carolyn Osborne If You Lived Here, You’d Be Home by Now People can meet one another anywhere, but almost all cultures build specialized buildings in which community members can come together to discus...
Glasses, 18th to 20th CenturyVarious Manufacturers; North America and EuropeGlass, metal, plastic and tortoiseshell2000.8.13,.39,.80,.95.,113,.170,.176,.225,.244,.251,.284,.537Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Richard Preston To See or Not to See Twenty-Twenty is perfect vision, it’s said that it is hindsight, and mostly importantly it’s the new year. To better...
Necklace, 1964George Brooks (Czechoslovakian-born American, 1925-); Santa Barbara, CaliforniaSilver, 18 kt yellow gold, ebony and pearls2020.3.1Gift of Mr. George Brooks Jade Laden, Never Jaded Modernist jewelry exploded into popularity between the 1930s and 1960s as a counterculture movement to the highly organic Art Nouveau and rigid Art Deco sty...
Chest, 17th to 18th CenturyPeruLeather, wood and iron; 20 1/2 x 36 x 19 3/4 in.2020.1.1aGift of The Nesselrod Family Trunk Show Luggage is probably most on the mind when you’ve been told by an airline that it’s just barely oversized and that you’ll have to check it, but its history dates as far back as human migration. Longtime visitors to the Bowe...
Hotei Relaxing in a Field, mid to late 20th CenturyMaker Unknown; ChinaPainting on porcelain tile96.52.34Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Herb Hansen Lots of Loves Love is a fairly complex force that can (often insufficiently) be defined as an intense feeling of affection towards family; friends; a significant other; a childhood pet gerbil named Scruffy, rest ...
Fishing Canoe (Taratara), 20th CenturyYami culture; Lanyu (Orchid) Island, TaiwanWood, paint and feather; 81 × 204 × 36 in. 97.8.1Gift of Leon Chen When a Gangway’s Raised a Porthole Opens While the hopes of the Bowers most nautically inclined visitors may be sunk following the departure of Arthur Beaumont: Art of the Sea this past weekend, rest as...
Sycamores, 1918William Wendt (American, 1865-1946)Oil on canvas; 26 3/4 x 42 3/4 x 2 1/4 in.F7678Martha C. Stevens Memorial Art Collection Transcendental State of Mind The great transcendentalists had come and gone by the time the William Wendt first arrived in California with a brush in hand and love of nature in heart and began painting this gold...
Headrests, 20th CenturyNew Guinea, MelanesiaWood2019.22.23; 2015.7.11; 2018.14.37 and 2019.22.29Gifts of Mr. Michael Hamson and Anonymous Donor Island Dreams Barring Boris Karloff’s 1932 rendition of a mummy caught in eternal vertical slumber and perhaps a few other standing sleepers throughout history and literature, most of us sleep in a decidedl...
Detail of 2003.50.37Gift of William R. Moran Weird and Just Downright Weird As part of an ongoing project to classify the Bowers Museum’s collections, our Collections team has reached many an oddball object that does not easily fall into standard categories. Many more have outlandish or wonderfully rare names. Today’s post is a celebration of...
Star of Bethlehem Pattern Quilt, c. 1840Maker unknownCotton; 100 x 100 in.2002.14.86Gift of Mr. William R. Moran Hindsight is This Year With the holiday season now tragically in our rearview, and with us either already returned to our weekly lives or soon to reenter the fray, sometimes it is nice to take one last gander at an aspect of the late ann...
Dagger, 19th Century Admiralty Islands, Bismarck Archipelago, Manus Province, Papua New Guinea, MelanesiaWood, stingray barb, fiber and beads 2019.20.2Bowers Museum Purchase Blade with a Barb The Bowers Blog has previously spent a lot of time focusing on the art of Admiralty Islands, a small chain located in Papua New Guinea’s Bismarck Archipelago....
Marine, Boats in Brittany, c. 1929Edgar Payne (American, 1882-1947)Oil on canvas; 16 1/2 x 19 3/4 x 2 1/2 in.F7600Gift of Mrs. Edgar Payne Not Just Foodsgiving Thanksgiving is a no-nonsense holiday because—as much as we try to take it as a moment to reflect and honor the things in our lives that we are thankful for—the holiday is perhaps most-loved...
Barkcloth Beater (Ike), 19th Century Viti Levu, Fiji, PolynesiaWood; 10 ¼ x 2 5/16 x 2 1/8 in. 2019.20.1Bowers Museum Purchase March to the Beat of your Own Beater Whether made from the sheared wool of adorably cloud-like animals, pulled from cotton plants or spun from the gossamer silk of worms; textiles are made with a variety of methods througho...
Woman's Valuables (Toluk), early to mid 20th CenturyPalau, MicronesiaTortoiseshell2019.17.32-.33Gift of Frieda O. Wray from the Estate of Dr. & Mrs. Douglas and Carolyn Osborne Have Tolúk and See Them The Bowers Museum recently acquired the Osborne Collection, an assemblage of objects originating from the island country of Palau—an archipelago ...
32154B.3 with some minor edits for spookinessBowers Museum Collections It’s that time of year once again, when the phantoms are on the haunt and ghosts and ghouls take to the streets—if only door to door in search of candy. Indeed, Dia de Muertos and Halloween are almost upon our sleepy suburban sprawl, so in keeping with the spirits of those holid...
Death of an Ignoble Enemy, 1946Arthur Edwaine Beaumont (English-born American, 1890-1978)Watercolor and tempera on paper; 24 1/2 x 28 1/2 in.98.58.1Gift of John E. Seabern Don’t Fear the Reaper, Ignore Him Some of us may have at one point in our lives found ourselves in a precarious situation such as a near-miss car accident that could just as easi...
A somewhat edited photograph of the Bowers home (32154B.3)Bowers Museum Collection Bowers Spook Factory It’s that time of year once again… again! Spooks and eeriness lurk at every maligned corner; costumed kids, hidden hooligans and scary skateboarders with tricks (never treats) roam as far as the eye can see; an unreasonable number of black cats s...
Mystery Box, late 19th to early 20th CenturyXiamen, Fujian Province, ChinaTin, ivory, felt and string 2019.16.1.1-.47Gift of Jan G. Wood Some Sleuthing Required Not everything has an easy answer. Previous Bowers Blog posts have explored a range of open-ended mysteries including Native American cogged stones, an apparent relic from the Portola Exped...
Our One Thousandth Blow (TASS Poster 1000), June 5, 1944Pavel Sokolov-Skalia (Russian, 1899-1961), Nikolai Federovich Denisovskii (Russian, 1901-1981), Vasilli Lebedev-Kumach (Russian, 1891-1949); Moscow, RussiaInk on Paper2019.14.6Bowers Museum Permanent Collection Comrade in Arms When we think of war our first thought is likely of the battlefield...
Motorcycle Officer, early 20th CenturyUnknown Photographer; Santa Ana, CaliforniaPhotographic print; 10 x 8 in.37057.2Leo Tiede Photography Collection Police Story California at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries was very much a part of the frontier, with justice often poorly exacted by unqualified parties. In its earliest iter...
Feathered Currency Roll (Tevau), late 19th-mid 20th CenturySanta Cruz Islands, Temotu Province, Solomon Islands, MelanesiaFeather, bark, shell, fiber, resin and bead; 6 x 15 5/8 x 16 3/4 in.2001.74.14Gift of Mr. William Moran Red the Feather that Coils With the Bowers Museum’s recently opened Dimensions of Form: Tamayo and Mixografía, many visitors...
Detail of Seated Deity Figure, 300-600 ADZapotec culture; MexicoCeramic; 14 1/2 x 10 in.2000.56.7The Dr. Eli B. and Aimee Cohen Memorial Collection Universes of Meaning This week marks the opening of Dimensions of Form: Tamayo and Mixografía, an exhibition primarily about a series of three-dimensional prints made by Rufino Tamayo, one of the most i...
Detail of Heart of Mary, c. 1750Miguel Ballejo y Mandirano; MexicoOil on canvas; 30 x 22 in.89.22.2Donated by Mr. Gene R. Wood Feast of the Hurt Pain is an awful thing. It can come from a variety of sources, but it is perhaps most punishing when it attacks us through a loved one. The Christian faith is in part based around the suffering and self-sa...
Detail of Feathered Headdress, 20th CenturyKayapo Mebêngôkre culture; Xingu River area, Para, BrazilMacaw and waterfowl feather, string and cotton; 68 x 57 in.91.34.1.1-.2Bowers Museum Acquisitions Fund Purchase As the Crow Flies, Not So Far Bird feathers are surprisingly intricate structures: leaflike in nature with a rigid or semi-rigid midrib ca...
Details of Paddle Club (Mougalaulau), mid 19th CenturyTonga, PolynesiaWood; 45 ½ in.2019.19.1Bowers Museum Purchase; Photograph courtesy of Michael Hamson Endless Buffering The towering spires of Antoni Gaudí’s Basilica de la Sagrada Familia, the fragmented narrative of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Love of the Last Tycoon or Michelangelo’s unfinished ...
Gold Bracelet, c. 1970JordanianGold and elephant hair; 1 1/8 x 2 1/2 in.77.4.8Gift of United States Government The Gift that Keeps on Taking In the United States there is a price that can be put on changing someone’s mind. It exists in the form of an upper limit for the value of gifts that can be accepted from foreign dignitaries and, given that it...
Fire Dance Mask (Vungvung), 20th CenturyBaining culture; Gazelle Peninsula, New Britain, East New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea, MelanesiaBark cloth, bamboo cane and paint; 65 x 53 x 148 1/2 in.2007.6.1Gift of Anne and Long Shung Shih Sparks Like Stars in the Sky Held at torch-point against a pressing sea of night or built as a pyre to be enci...
Composite image of the moon and objects in this post. One Giant Leap On July 20, 1969 three humans boarded an aluminum and stainless-steel rocket, rose into the heavens and collectively became the first group to set foot on another celestial body. Taking his first apprehensive steps on the alien scape of the moon, Neil Armstrong famously said “that...
Headdress (Perak), late 20th CenturyLadakhi culture; Ladakh Region, Jammu and Kashmir State, IndiaCotton, lambskin, yak hair, turquoise, coral, carnelian and silver; 54 × 20 × 1 3/4 in.2019.7.1Anonymous Gift Crown of the Roof of the World Ladakh is a region of India located in the barren mountainous foothills between the Himalayas and the Karakoram...
Rug, c. 1910Navajo; probably Ganado, ArizonaDyed wool; 65 x 105 in.2019.5.1Gift of Dennis J. Aigner White Hat There is good cause for the romanticizing of the American West: it is a breathtaking part of this nation. Mesas rise from the red earth like monolithic and silent guardians; the skies are distilled blue, endless and not cloudy all day. More...
School Children on Float, July 4, 1890Unknown Photographer; Santa Ana, CaliforniaPhotographic print; 8 x 5 in.2983Gift of Mr. William McPherson July the Fourth Be with You There is a lot to like about the Fourth of July. Family, friends and neighbors all come together for a day of celebrating this country’s birth with sumptuous barbeque, plentiful ...
Ocean Vista, c. 1925Conrad Buff (Swiss-born American, 1886-1975); Southern CaliforniaOil on Masonite; 36 x 24 in.91.47.4Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Christian and Joyce Title (Con)Rad, With Bodacious Later Works Rugged individualism remains an ingrained facet of American identity, but it is the combination of individualism and collaboration that create tru...
Marsupial Figure, 1500 BCE-1600 CELaiagam Valley, Central Enga Province, Papua New Guinea, MelanesiaStone; 3 1/2 × 3 1/2 × 7 1/2 in.2019.8.1Bowers Museum Purchase Set in Stone When it comes to the art of Papua New Guinea, very few things are literally set in stone. Bags are made from fiber or coir, shields and clubs from wood, ornaments from feathe...
Fishing Hook, late 19th to early 20th CenturyIñupiaq culture; Seward Peninsula Area, AlaskaWalrus ivory, lead, iron and cotton thread; 2 1/4 × 4 1/8 in.39352Gift of Winifred P. Morgan Let’s See What’s Biting, Champ Some dads fit all the clichés. They are handy when something needs fixing, quick with a pun but otherwise tactful enough to let mom han...
Hook and Ladder Volunteer Firemen of Santa Ana, May 1, 1888Photo by B. F. Conaway; Santa Ana, CaliforniaPhotographic print; 8.5 x 5 ¼ in. 2821Gift of John Luxembourger Sunny Santa Ana California William H. Spurgeon and his wife spent a few years in the early 1860s living in Los Angeles until she passed away. Heartbroken, he moved back to the East t...
Bone Daggers (Yina and Amia Ava), 20th CenturyAbelam and Iatmul culture; East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea, Melanesia, OceaniaCassowary bone and pigment2010.22.5-.31Gift of Anne and Long Shung Shih They do Move in Herds Unassuming dinosaurs of the modern era that they are, cassowaries are incredible creatures. For example, though flightless the...
Spear Heads (Tataumanaria), late 19th CenturyI-Kiribati culture; Gilbert Islands, Kiribati, MicronesiaPalm wood, shark teeth and sennit; various dimensions2019.6.1-.2Gift of Anne and Long Shung Shih Into the Maw The Bowers Museum’s continued efforts to improve our Oceanic Collections has driven the acquisition of several shark tooth weapons from th...
Sculpture, late 20th CenturyPossibly Kwoma culture; Middle Sepik River Region, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea, MelanesiaWood, pigment and cowrie shell; 55 in.98.18.10Gift of the Jordan Community Trust Return of the Fourth Younglings, padawans and Jedi masters, it is time to force the important issues once more! In previous years the Bowers B...
Shoulder Cloth (Hinggi), late 20th CenturySumba culture; Sumba Island, East Nusa Tenggara Province, Lesser Sunda Islands, IndonesiaCotton; 96 × 112 in.2016.15.45Anonymous Gift Syncretic Dyeing Art has always been a chorus of different groups reacting to, influencing, inspiring and drawing upon one another’s creations. On the small East Indonesian i...
Pilgrimage Souvenir, 19th CenturyJerusalem, modern-day IsraelMother-of-pearl; 8 ½ x 8 ½ in.31521Gift of Mrs. John Carruthers Getting a Rise out of Spring Spring is a time of rebirth. Winter’s chill recedes, new flowers bloom and trees seemingly come back from the dead. Branches which for all the world appeared to be deceased are given Lazaran life,...
Battle and Hunting Weapons, 300-1519Michoacán, MexicoObsidian; various dimensions2003.10.42C-IAnonymous Gift The Night King Cometh As most fantasy buffs are well¬-aware, HBO’s Game of Thrones returns for the first of its final six episodes this upcoming Sunday. Not to spoil too much of the show for those who are interested in watching but have not ...
Detail of Untitled, c. 1924Thomas Hunt (Canadian-born American, 1882-1938)Oil on paper on board; 10 x 12 in.F7742Martha C. Stevens Memorial Art Collection Anti-Entropic Relay Legacy is without a doubt one of the constant thought worms throughout history, and we can all agree that it is not distributed in equal measure to the deceased. While it is p...
Detail of 94.64.10. Gift of Mr. William Drell. Love to Spring this On You As all living in southern California are acutely aware, this winter’s deluge has brought with it the happy occasion of a Californian super bloom. The hillsides and shallow valleys of California’s inland deserts—so often entirely devoid of flora—have sprung to life, ...
Guo Pei's Garden of Soul collection backed by Shashi Dhoj Tulachan's paintings. Fashion 101 Recent visitors to the Bowers Museum will have noticed a few new faces—placid as they may be—in the Freedman Galleria, the long hallway travelling between our main desk and the Bowers Museum’s changing gallery spaces. Of course, these seven new, poised ...
Armlet, c.1885Paris, FranceGold, emerald and stone; 5 1/2 x 4 3/8 x 4 1/8 in.2884Gift of Mr. & Mrs. James Willis Rice Balancing the Scales While St. Patrick’s Day has evolved over time to take on a character of its own, the original Saint Patrick was canonized as the patron saint of Ireland for—among many other feats—purging Ireland of its resident...
Knife (Tebutu), 19th CenturyI-Kiribati culture; Gilbert Islands, Kiribati, MicronesiaPalm wood, tiger shark teeth (galeocerdo cuvier) and sennit; 6 1/2 in.2019.3.1Bowers Museum Purchase War Changes Quite a Bit If humans have consistently been innovative in any one field, it is in the discovery of more effective ways to injure one another. Often hea...
Blanket, early 20th CenturyMaggie Kadanaha (Chilkat Tlingit, 1873-1959); Alaska, Northwest Coast, United States of AmericaMountain goat’s wool with cedar bark warp strands and pigment; 54 × 74 × 1 in.2016.14.1Gift of the Herbert W. Clark Trust Alaska For Directions At the turn of the 20th Century the Chilkat Tlingit lived along the painfully stark ...
Shell Currency (Wamayuwa), 19th CenturyYangoru Boiken culture; Prince Alexander Mountains, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea, MelanesiaShell (tridacna gigas); 9 7/8 x 8 ¼ in.2018.13.63Gift of Anne and Long Shung Shih All the Money in the World The Bowers Blog has spent a great deal of time exploring currency in its myriad shapes and sizes. From...
Headdress (Ciwarakun), 20th CenturyBamana culture; Western MaliWood and metal; 11 × 17 5/8 × 3 in.2018.13.28Gift of Anne and Long Shung Shih On Demigods and Farmers Agrarian cultures often have myths about the origin of their farming practices. As the primary source of subsistence for these groups, farming is a lifeline that everything else grows f...
Saint Ann's Inn and Grounds, 1920sEdward W. Cochems (American, 1874-1949); Santa Ana, CaliforniaPhotographic print35558.7Gift of Mr. Eldon G. McNeil Valentine’s Day It’s that day we love to love! Measured in bouquets of flowers, squares of chocolate and cards swarming with weapon-toting winged babies, Valentine’s Day is truly a holiday cherubbed by...
Detail of Corona Del Mar, 1960Milford Zornes (American, 1908 - 2008); Corona Del Mar, CaliforniaWatercolor on paper; 14 7/8 × 21 1/2 in.2018.6.48Ann and Bill Cullen Memorial Collection
Mirror with Animal, Leaf, and Fruit Designs, Tang Dynasty (618-907)Han culture; ChinaBronze and silver; 1/2 x 6 1/8 in.2005.28.1In Memory of Armand J. Labbe The World in Bronze Mirrors today are multi-layered compositions of metal and glass, but historically the only requirement was a reflective surface. In China, a country whose complex manufactur...
War Shields, 20th CenturyCentral and Northern Asmat culture; Papua (Irian Jaya) Province, Indonesia, MelanesiaWood, pigment and sago-frond; Various Dimensions2017.10.148, L.2010.4.4, F75.16.1 and 2006.19.1Anonymous Gift, Bowers Museum General Acquisition Fund Purchase, Loan courtesy of Gayle and Edward P. Roski and Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Meyer Bello ...
Crazy Quilt, c.1900Sarah Ann Hinkley Tucker; Whitehall, WisconsinSilk and velvet; 60 x 75 in.80.35.1Gift of Mrs. Marjorie H. Carr Quilty as Charged One of the earliest, largest, and most-often exhibited collections of Americana at the Bowers is the museum’s collection of quilts, ranging in date from our nation’s independence to the end of the 20th ...
Detail of June Lake, mid to late 20th CenturyNoel Quinn (American, 1915 - 1993); June Lake, Mono County, CaliforniaWatercolor on paper; 19 1/4 × 26 7/8 in.2018.6.24Ann and Bill Cullen Memorial Collection Quintessential Artist This post harkens back to the Bowers Blog’s 6-part series on the artists of the Ann and Bill Cullen Memorial Collection, now...
Märklin SK800 Steam Locomotive, 1946Gebr. Märklin & Cie. GmbH; Göppingen, GermanyMetal; 7 in.80.78.21Gift of Mr. Richard D. Lusch All Aboard The winter holidays bring with them an array of traditions and customs, most of which date back hundreds and hundreds of years. The tradition featured in this post is a newer one, roughly 130 years of age, and...
Detail of Untitled (The Carmel Mission), 1949Arthur Edwaine Beaumont (English-born American, 1890-1978); Carmel, CaliforniaWatercolor and tempera on paper; 15 x 12 in.96.65.1Gift of Rae and Sandra Young Bombshell Artist The Bowers Blog has previously examined the works of the English-born American artist, Arthur Edwaine Beaumont, looking at his tim...
Splashboard (Lagim), 20th CenturyMassim culture; Trobriand Islands, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea, Melanesia, OceaniaWood and paint; 32 5/8 x 25 5/8 x 2 5/8 in.2011.11.2Collected on behalf of the Bowers Museum by the Roski-Keller-Martin Expeditions 2000-2008 Art of the Deal When it comes to making deals, everyone wants a leg up on the compet...
Detail of Tapa Cloth (Ngatu), 20th CenturyTongan culture; Tonga, PolynesiaPounded tree bark and pigment; 78 x 152 in.93.18.1Donated by Jeff and Laura Blackie Cloth With a Bark Tapa cloth, a barkcloth made from the inner bark of trees, is one of the most distinctive products made by the cultures of the Pacific Islands and remains at the heart of Pac...
Bridge and Tugboats, mid 20th CenturyDong Kingman (American, 1911 - 2000); New York City, New YorkWatercolor on paper; 19 1/2 x 29 1/2 in.2018.6.11Ann and Bill Cullen Memorial Collection Delightful, Diligent As this series winds to a close, we end by looking at an artist who—perhaps out of all of the artists in the collection had the closest friend...
Girl by Candlelight, 1942-1962Muggs Van Sant (American, 1898 - 1964)Watercolor on paper; 3 x 4 in.2018.6.34Gift of Ann Cullen Covered by Sheets The last post in this series on the Ann Cullen Collection left off with Millard Sheets still as a relatively young man working still to create a unique style and find the subjects that would appeal to him m...
Family Flats, 1932Millard Sheets (American, 1907 - 1989); CaliforniaLithograph; 16 x 22 1/2 in.2018.6.26Gift of Ann Cullen Three Sheets to the Blog So far in this series we have examined the close ties between the various painters of the Ann Cullen Collection. In this post we look at the noble heart at the center of the group, the ever-charismatic ...
Waves Spilling Over Rocks, 1976Phil Dike (American, 1906 - 1990); CaliforniaWatercolor on paper; 18 x 24 in.2018.6.6Gift of Ann Cullen Something Else Entirely In the Bowers Museum’s recently acquired paintings by Phil Dike (American, 1906-1990), we see birds suspended in motion over breaking waves. Dike was drawn to the ocean just as he was drawn t...
Bunker Hill, mid 20th CenturyEmil Kosa Jr. (French-born American, 1903-1968); Los Angeles, CaliforniaWatercolor on paper; 22 x 28 in.2018.6.17Gift of Ann Cullen First Kosa’s First Full… absolutely full to the brim with life and a love for painting. Is there any other way to describe Emil Kosa Jr.? In the second post of this series on the Ann Cullen...
Autumn Day, 1976Rex Brandt (American, 1914-2000); Temecula, CaliforniaWatercolor on paper; 18 x 24 in.2018.6.2Ann Cullen Collection An Open Book The Bowers Museum’s California Bounty: Image and Identity 1850-1930 has been quietly boasting the triumphs of Californian artists since its opening in 2016. Housed in the halls of the museum’s Historic Win...
Ceremonial Vessel (Kwam), 19th to 20th CenturyAbelam culture; Wambisa Village, Maprik District, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea, MelanesiaClay, red, white and orange ochre; 3 ¼ x 9 3/8 x 7 3/8 in.2018.7.16Gift of Michael Hamson Vessel Variety Perhaps above all else, Papua New Guinea is best-known for its variety. As many as 850 languages are ...
Sitting Dog, 200 BC-300 ADColima culture; Colima, MexicoClay and slip; 4 1/2 x 3 1/2 x 5 1/2 in.99.82.8Gift of John Ross, D.D.S. All Bite, No Bark Dogs have remained versatile, benevolent additions to human society for as long as they have been domesticated. The same is very much true for the Xoloitzcuintli or Mexican Hairless, with the tragic coro...
El Greco, The Savior (from the Apostles series), Toledo, Spain, ca. 1608–1614. Oil on canvas, 39 17⁄32 x 31 37⁄64 in. Museo del Greco, Toledo, IPCEGRE-GS1(CE00001). Photo: Tomas Antelo, Instituto del Patrimonio Cultural de España, Madrid. El Greco is one of Spain’s most famous painters. In his lifetime he challenged Spanish painting norms, created ...
Detail of Untitled (Renaissance Man in Garden), c. 1901Alberta Binford McCloskey (American, 1855-1911)Oil on canvas; 13 1/2 × 9 1/4 in.74.22.27Gift of Mrs. Eleanor Russell Galahad to Have You Romanticized histories have always captured the hearts of those looking to the past. Of all the periods nostalgically viewed through rose-colored lenses, perh...
Pagoda, Old Chinatown, Los Angeles, 1949Arthur Edwaine Beaumont (English-born American, 1890-1978); Los Angeles, CaliforniaWatercolor on paper; 14 x 21 x ½ in.86.40.1Gift of Mr. Paul J. Knaak A Perfect Beau… As one among many artists who painted the California Style watercolors that developed during the early and mid 20th Century, the English-born ...
Detail of Untitled (Portrait of Eleanor with Wreath), c. 1892Alberta Binford McCloskey (American, 1855-1911) or William Joseph McCloskey (American, 1859-1941)Watercolor; 15 7/8 x 14 1/874.22.9Gift of Mrs. Eleanor Russell Once Upon a Time Any visitor to the Bowers Museum will recognize the works of Alberta Binford and William Joseph McCloskey by the...
Detail of Coastline, early 20th CenturyNellie Gail Moulton (American, 1878-1972)Oil on masonite; 12 × 14 × 3/4 in.F7736Martha C. Stevens Memorial Art Collection Stevens Start-off One of the lesser-known facts about the Bowers Museum’s remarkable Fine Art Collection is that we have only paid for one painting. The rest of the Bowers’ 1543 currently a...
Incised Shell Trumpet, 900-1200 Michoacán culture; Puruándiro, Michoacán, MexicoShell; 12 1/2 x 6 3/4 x 5 1/8 in.34076Gift of Mr. Graciano Bernal Tooting Their Own Horns Shells take the sea with them wherever they go. Maybe this is the reason why so many cultures utilized and still utilize shell as a medium for both artistic and utilitarian purpose...
Detail of Summer Night, c. 1925Aloys Bohnen (American, 1889-1967) Oil on canvas; 34 x 27 in.31163Gift of the James Earl Fraser Estate Into the Grove During the day Californian summers can become oppressively hot—to the point of us wondering if the day’s warmest hours wouldn’t be better passed in siesta. The few respites from this heat can be found ...
The Red Bathing Suit, 1948Arthur Edwaine Beaumont (American, 1890-1978)Watercolor on paper;97.144Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Robert Dreibelbis Arthur Edwin Crabbe was born on March 25, 1890 in Thorpe-St. Andrew, England. His father was a medical attendant in the British Military, and his mother was a nurse who encouraged her five children to draw and pain...
Scrimshaw of George Washington, early 19th CenturyUnknown artist (American); North AmericaSperm whale ivory and ink; 5 1/4 x 2 1/2 x 1 1/2 in.2011.25.56Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Burton W. Fink New England, Old American Carvings Independence Day is the annual celebration of all things American. For most, revelries might include fireworks, barbeque, throw...
Necklace (Lei Niho Palaoa), early 19th CenturyHawaiian culture; Hawaii, United States, PolynesiaHair, fiber and walrus ivory; 11 1/4 x 7 7/8 x 2 1/2 in.2018.5.1Bowers Museum PurchasePhotograph courtesy of Bonhams A New Acquisition When it comes to Hawaiian necklaces, the subject can be a somewhat hairy one, though perhaps not for the reasons one mi...
Two Meiji-era Japanese exposition objects (2017.6.1a-h and 36756) on view in the Dr. Wan-Lin & Assumpta Kiang Family Foundation Rotunda.Globalization in the 19th and early 20th Centuries in many cases led to the butting of heads on a national scale, but the conflict served as a fantastic motivator for both art and tra...
Pie Crimper, c. 1890Unknown artist (American); North AmericaSperm whale ivory and wood; 4 5/8 x 3 1/2 x 6 in. 2011.25.15Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Burton W. FinkPies are made all over the world in sizes ranging from large table pies to small palm-sized pies, and for every size twice as many flavors exist. With all the variations, bakers need a way of dif...
Wrap-Around Garment (Kente), early to mid 20th CenturyAkan or Ewe culture; GhanaCotton and silk; 66 1/2 × 105 in.2016.15.30Anonymous Gift Like words composing complex thoughts, the colors and patterns of Ghana’s kente cloth work together to symbolize intricate ideas. The vibrantly-colored fabric not only tells of Ghana’s history; these textiles hav...
Corbels with Phoenix and Crane, 19th CenturyQing Dynasty; ChinaWood and pigments; 27 x 14 x 5 in.2001.58.13a,bGift of Kevin BranchDiagram dougong holding up a multi-inclined roof, from the architectural treatise Yingzao Fashi, 1103.To one degree or another, all objects run the gamut between form and function. In architectural terms this polari...
Weapons for Liberty, 1917Joseph Leyendecker (German-born American, 1874-1951)Paper; 35 x 25 ½ in. 96.41.5Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Weston F. Sprague Most everyone wants to be involved in something greater than themselves, and for many boys and young men in the United States it has historically been the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). On August 1, 1907, Rob...
Lorgnettes, 18th to early 20thCenturiesProbably France and United StatesMetal, tortoiseshell, lacquer, paint and glass2000.8.37, .39, .123Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Richard Preston “…the inevitable lorgnette, the enemy of other people’s privacy.”–Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca 2000.8.37 in all three stages of unfolding. Lorgnettes, spectacles held in p...
Two Prints from The Fifteen Views of Kyoto, 1950-1960Tomikichiro Tokuriki (Japanese, 1902–1999)Woodblock print on paper; 15 x 13 in.81.8.1J, KGift of Mr. Kerwin JacobsBeauty Reading a Letter, late 18th CenturyUtamaro (Japanese 1753-1806)Woodblock print on paper; 19 x 13 in.36124.1Evylena Nunn Miller Memorial CollectionUkiyo-e, the term for a s...
Glass Earrings (Dimbo), 19th CenturyWaropen culture; Cenderawasih (Geelvink) Bay, Papua Province, Indonesia, MelanesiaGlass2017.8.1-.5Bowers Museum PurchaseThough we may think of it now as an isolated, inaccessible part of the world, New Guinea has always been rich in organic and mineral resources; the peoples of its coasts welcome partners to comm...
Dance Clubs (Kiakavo), 19th CenturyFiji, PolynesiaWood, fiber and pigment97.138.13, .17, and 2015.17.10Anonymous Gift and The George Stanley Lodin CollectionTwo late 19th Century Fijian men hold clubs across their laps for a staged photograph. Bowers Museum CollectionGift of Mr. E. Morgan StanleyFijian Club SceneUp until and in the few d...
Folding Pocket Camera No. 3A, 1903-1914Eastman Kodak Co.; Rochester, New YorkMetal, glass, wood, and leather; 9 ½ x 4 ¾ x 1 ¾40633Gift of Mr. Gurdon WattlesExpedition Prep. The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition (1914-1917) stands to date as one of the greatest survival tales of all time. Best told in Endurance: The Antarctic Legacy of Sir Er...
Scrimshaw Snuff Box, c. 1870United StatesSperm whale ivory, silver and ink2011.25.18Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Burton W. FinkSnuff Bottle, date unknownKenyaWood, metal and horn2013.7.9Gift of Doris L. BuckSnuff Bottle, late 20th CenturyJapanAntler97.11.2Gift of Dr. Murray and Brett ViaAround the WorldAt the height of its popularity, snuff was used throug...
Whetting the Scythe from The Peasants' Revolt, 1905Käthe Kollwitz (German, 1867–1945)Etching on paper; 21 1/2 x 18 in.33542 Gift of Mr. Howard GrahamKäthe Käthe Kollwitz, 1919Fascination with the moribund can come from any number of circumstances. For Käthe Kollwitz (German, 1867-1942) it stemmed from a lifetime of tragedy, enshroudi...
Izok, 2010Harold Van Pelt (American, 1925-)Quartz and izoklakeiteL.2016.21.34a,bLoan courtesy of Harold and Erica Van Pelt© 2010 Harold and Erica Van PeltVan PeltOne need not be an explorer-archaeologist to come across incredible artifacts. For experts like Harold Van Pelt they can be made in the workshop. Van Pelt has spent the last 45 years maste...
Jar, 1931Nampeyo of Hano (1857-1942); Hano Pueblo, Hopi Reservation, ArizonaClay and paint; 7 x 8 x 4 1/2 in.36809.3Gift of Dr. & Mrs. Earl SandersWhat the Railway BroughtThe late 19th Century’s introduction of the rail to the Southwest was a gift and a curse for Southwestern United States’ Pueblo Territories. The immediate influx of cheap East Coa...
Feast Bowl, 20th CenturyCape Gloucester, West New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea, MelanesiaWood and pigment; 9 × 44 1/2 × 25 1/4 in.2014.15.14Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Danny and Anne ShihBird is the WordThanksgiving is now upon us. Even in its earliest rendition, it was a celebration of thanks through the sharing of food with friends, family, and ne...
Consul the Educated Monkey, 1916-1918William Henry Robertson (Educational Novelty Company)Tin; 5 ½ by 6 in.30780aGift of Mrs. Anita L. AlexanderFor a Fistful of DollarsOriginal 1915 patent for Consul the Educated Monkey.Festive and wonderful as they all are, the holidays can be a time of much consternation when it comes to gift-giving. Especially c...
Variant on J.B. Moore’s Plate XXX Rug, c. 1920Navajo; Crystal, San Juan County, New MexicoWool and pigment; 69 1/2 × 54 in.2016.12.4Gift of Dennis Aigner Variant on J.B. Moore’s Plate XXX Rug, 1910-1920 Navajo; Crystal, San Juan County, New Mexico &nbs...
S-Shaped Counterweight, 20th CenturyMiao or Dong culture; Guizhou, Hunan or Guangxi Province, ChinaSilver; 6 1/4 × 10 7/8 in.2015.26.59Anonymous Gift Glance at the Moon Alternate image of 2015.26.59.Silver was used as a currency in China as early as the turn of the common era. It is unclear when exactly the Dong and Miao of southern China bega...
Empress Dowager Cixi's 1901 Duryea SurreyDuryea Motor Wagon Co.; Reading, PAJanuary 1902 advertisement for the Duryea Surrey.Climb InEmpress Dowager Cixi is arguably the most influential figure in late dynastic China. Coming from humble beginnings as a low-ranking concubine for the Emperor, she managed to leverage a legitimate heir to the throne in...
Evening on the River, 1883George Inness (American, 1825-1894)Oil on canvas; 33 3/4 x 48 x 3 in.F7664Martha C. Stevens Memorial Art CollectionSunset: 2017 EndsTwilight, c. 1860George Inness (American, 1825-1894)Every day comes to day’s end. In this twilight painted rivers, seas and skies—aching with shades of red, violet, and orange—all contest the ...
Yaqona Bowl (Tanoa), late 19th to early 20th CenturyFiji, PolynesiaWood; 7 1/2 x 22 7/16 x 21 in. 99.43.7Donated by Rear Admiral Ralph and Sara GarrisonKava ChameleonWithin the last few decades, kava has found its way into the American social scene as a niche alternative to alcohol in being both a mild relaxant and an avenue to potential liver dama...
Vessel with Snake Motifs, 18th CenturyPaiwan culture; Pingtung or Taitung County, TaiwanClay and wood; 15 x 11 1/2 in.2017.11.28-.29Gift of Anne and Long Shung ShihOne Hundred PacesThe hundred-pacer snake is a venomous pit viper indigenous to the same region occupied by the Paiwan of southern Taiwan. Hailed as an ancestor in several of their creati...
Don Pio Pico, 1868Henry J. Frey (American, b?-d?)Oil on canvas; 24 x 20 in.3513Gift of Mrs. John ForsterRepairing a Rogue’s Ranchero RepresentationAbout a year and a half ago the Bowers Museum Collections Blog published a post on our resident painting of Pio Pico. For years the painting had been exhibited by a perfunctory “Unknown Artist” label, bu...
Headrest, 20th CenturyKaramojong culture; UgandaWood; 7 5/8 x 6 ¼ x 5 7/82017.11.31Gift of Anne and Long Shung Shih Sleep Like a Log Sleep is one of those fundamental human needs all peoples of the world unconsciously share in, but the trappings of sleep outside of beds, pillows, sheets, blankets, and duvets are rarely covered. Up until recen...
Sailor's Valentine, late 19th CenturyProbably New Curiosity Shop (1879-1925); Bridgetown, BarbadosShell, wood and adhesive; 13 3/4 x 13 3/4 x 1 5/8 in. 2011.25.80Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Burton W. FinkFrom a Whaler’s HeartDespite whaling now being a somewhat romanticized New England tradition, romance was hard to keep alive during multi-year hunting ex...
Feast Bowl, late 19th CenturyMatankol culture; Lou Island, Admiralty Islands, Manus Province, Bismarck Archipelago, Papua New Guinea, MelanesiaWood and parinarium nut paste; 24 ½ x 54 ½ x 41 in. 2018.1.1Bowers Museum PurchaseHomes on the neighboring M'Buke Island.Photograph by Peter Keller, 2006.King of BowlsOf the many types of wooden bowl from th...
Gold Ear Ornaments (Kwottenai), 20th CenturyFulani culture; MaliGold and yarn; 9 x 8 1/2 in.97.13.1.1-.2Gift of Bowers Museum Collector's CouncilWakanda ForeverMarvel Studios’ newly released Black Panther (2018)—a film about T’Challa, the superhero monarch of the fictional African nation of Wakanda—features an incredible fusion of traditional Afric...
Jar, c. 1981Lucy Lewis (1898-1992); Acoma Pueblo, New MexicoClay and paint; 5 x 10 1/4 in.F81.61.1Gift of the ArtistPotter of the CenturyPhotograph of Lucy Lewis painting a vessel.With the influx of western products that the pueblos of the American Southwest saw during the 19th Century, many traditional Native American art forms such as pottery onl...
Shamrock Brand Citrus Crate Label, 1930-1939Western Lithograph Company (American, 1908-1985); Los Angeles, CaliforniaChromolithograph; 10 x 10 ¾ in.82.59.2Gift of Mr. Andrew E. CoenSt. Patrick’s DayStereotypical symbols like leprechauns and their pots of gold may seem hackneyed, but the shamrock—characteristically a species of three-leaf clover—sta...
Scene from Tale of Genji Chapter 23, “Hatsune (First Warbler)”, 1890Yōshū Chikanobu (Japanese, 1838-1912); Tokyo, JapanWoodblock print on paper; 21 1/2 x 33 in.94.64.8Gift of Mr. William DrellTale of the EquinoxSpring is in the air! The spring equinox, which occurred Tuesday, March 20th, provides the possibility for rebirth, renewal, and regrowth. ...
Floyd E. Stewart Performing Magic, c. 1936Edward W. Cochems (American, 1874-1949); Santa Ana, CaliforniaPhotographic print; Various Dimensions36247.3,.4Gift of Mrs. Weston Walker April Fools bring May LOL’sIt takes a rare skill to fool others, especially in a way which delights and entertains rather than leaves one somehow feeling cheated. The pref...
Parasols, 19th and 20th CenturiesPossibly Paul Poiret (French, 1879-1944) and Unknown Makers; France and EnglandWood, metal, silk, cotton and pigments; Various dimensions32172C, 7992D and 7992AGift of Mrs. G. W. Pike (32172C) and Irene P. Cutter Memorial Doll Collection (7992D and 7992A) Parasols for Paris Souls The science of selecting t...
Plaque with "Labyrinth" Design, 20th CenturyPima culture; Southern ArizonaWillow, devil's claw and tule; 15 1/2 in.30070Gift of Mrs. Mary J. Newland Theseus, He Pleases Us Labyrinths play important roles in many cultures’ stories, persisting into modern pop culture with novels, film, and television. In HBO’s hit series Westworld, it is a maze ...
Untitled (Tom Morris, Sprinter)B.F. Conaway Studios; Santa Ana, CaliforniaAlbumen Print Cabinet Card; 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 in. 5788 Photograph of Tom Morris, a world famous sprinter during the 1890's. During the Chicago World's Fair in 1893 Morris exceeded all previous sprinting records. He lived for many years in Santa Ana disappearing suddenly and remai...
Manillas, 19th CenturyUnknown Manufacturer; probably Birmingham, EnglandLeaded brass; Various Dimensions2003.43.72-.79Anonymous Gift Who wants to be a Manillionaire? Some might like to make a grand show of wealth, but along the cost of West Africa, one could literally wear their net worth on their sleeve up until the mid 20th Century. At least unti...
Cleaving Club (Ula-fumiti), early to mid 19th CenturyNiuean culture; Niue Island, PolynesiaWood; 68 7/8 x 5 x 1 ¼ in.2018.4.1Bowers Museum Purchase Behold the Cook-o-nut Captain Cook was the first European to travel to Niue, a small island in the middle of Polynesia, when he landed ashore late in the spring of 1774. His welcome to the small tropica...
Pipe, 1000-1700Chumash culture; CaliforniaSteatite and clam shell beads; 1 9/16 x 1 x 12 3/16 in.80017Fred Randolph Aldrich Collection This is a Pipe Does the apotheotic father smoke a pipe? Perhaps he has not since at least the 1950s. Still though, a dad casually puffing on a pipe—maybe on a Sunday morning while reading the paper, fooling around w...
Shark Caller's Tools, 20th centuryKontu culture, Island of New Ireland, Papua New GuineaWood, reed, bamboo, coconut and paint 2002.65.1.1-.3Bowers Museum Purchase courtesy of the Trude Jordan Fund The Kontu people of the Island of New Ireland, Papua New Guinea use ritual customs to capture and kill sharks. Shark Callers believe that ancestral ...
Wedding Furisode Kimono (Furisode), c. 1900JapaneseSilk and threadF78.62.1Bowers Museum Purchase A woman’s first furisode (a long-sleeved kimono, literally “swinging sleeve”) is given to her at the age of 20 when she is recognized as an adult, allowed to vote, responsible for committing crimes and is officially allowed to smoke and drink. A furisod...
Ancestor Figure, 20th CenturySukuma culture; TanzaniaWood, metal and hair; 63 in.2002.58.1Gift of Heather Sacre May the Fourth… In an annual celebration of culture, science fiction, and a beloved galaxy not too near to here, the Bowers Blog once again uses May the Fourth to take the hyperspace plunge. Last year we featured a miniature made from a h...
Busts of David Hewes and Franklina Gray, 1877Giuseppe Andreoni (Italian, 19th Century); Pisa, ItalyMarble; Various Dimensions2697, 32782Gifts of Mrs. D. Eyman Huff and Mr. & Mrs. James A. Moore Total Bust With American Visionary: John F. Kennedy’s Life and Times having just left the Bowers Museum this past weekend, the portraits section of the much...
Basketry Olla, early 20th CenturyPima culture; Arizona, United StatesBear grass, willow and devil’s claw; 11 3/4 × 9 1/4 in.2018.3.3Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John and Elizabeth Stahr That’s Moms Moms are a fairly universal force of good in the world, seeking more often than not to safeguard their children’s wellbeing and ensure their happiness. Top scho...
Guanyin Seated on a Lotus Flower, late Ming Dynasty (1600-1643)Han culture; ChinaWood and pigments; 49 x 16 x 11 in.2005.37.1Gift of Anne and Long Shung Shih Mercy Me Whether or not you recognize the name, if you have been to the Bowers you have seen at least one representation of Guanyin, the adopted Chinese bodhisattva and goddess of mercy. Woode...
Bowl, 1000-1300 A.D.Mimbres Culture, New MexicoBlack on white ceramic; 9" diameterF81.64.1Gift of Dr. and Mrs. James LodgeOpen globular shaped bowls like the one seen here are the most common object associated with the Mimbres people. The culture was active between A.D. 1000 and A.D. 1300 and consisted of about 17 known Mimbres villages centered in...
Most are aware of the devastation brought to San Francisco after the April 1906 earthquake and subsequent fire. This picture clearly shows that the San Francisco Chinatown (as the rest of the city) was obliterated. But few know that here in Santa Ana, only one month later and 100 years ago this week, our own Chinatown was purposefully burned to the...
Letter from a Merchant Ship, July 31,1806Theodore Young; American or English bornPaper and pigmentGift of Rebecca Oglesby38678On July 31st, 1806 this letter was written by Theodore Young who had just reached New York after completing an oversea voyage from the city of Portsmouth, Dominica. Dominica (not to be confused with the Dominican Republic) i...
Bowl, c. 300 B.C.-250 A.D.Chupicuaro culture; Guanajuato, MexicoCeramic and natural pigment; 8 1/4 x 10 1/4 x 32 1/2 in.F81.18.2Bowers Museum Foundation Acquisition Fund PurchaseUnusual for its size (26cm diameter and 21cm in height) this Chupícuaro bowl is one of the Bowers Museum’s most elegant and treasured in our collection of Pre-Columbian obj...
Mask, 20th CenturyPende people; Democratic Republic of the CongoWood and cloth; 15 x 7 1/2 x 4 in.F79.27.24Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Daniel SolomonThis is a 20th century mask made by the Pende people of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa. Masks are the dominant form of Pende sculptural work and are used in masquerades where artists, musicians and ...
Vessel, c. 300-950 A.D.Maya people; El Peten, GuatemalaCeramic and paint; 10 7/8 x 12 1/2 in. 85.26.1Gift of Peter G. Wray This delicate piece of pottery is an example of a Pre-Colombian Mayan vessel. The vessel dates from the Classic Period (c. 300 – 900 AD) and was unearthed in the El Peten region of Guatemala. This particular vessel is rare in b...
Seated Deity Figure, c. 300-600 A.D.Zapotec culture; MexicoCeramic; 14 1/2 x 10 in.2000.56.7The Dr. Eli B. and Aimee Cohen Memorial CollectionGracing billboards and posters around the city of Beijing is the image of one of the Bowers Museum’s Zapotec ceramic urns. Included in the Beijing World Art Museum’s current exhibition "The Great Civilization...
Ceremonial Adze with Blade Emanating from Mouth, 20th CenturyLuba Culture; Democratic Republic of the CongoWood and Iron; 6 3/4 x 2 5/8 x 9 5/8 in.Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Daniel SolomonF79.27.14This adze made by an unknown Luba artist is a fine example of artistic mastery of wood and iron. Even the discoloration that has occurred through use lends to ...
Vessel, 14th centurySawankhalok culture; ThailandCeramic; 2 3/4 x 9 5/8 in90.5.73The Bowers Museum is lucky to hold in its collection a number of fine examples of Thai pottery. The following are two of our finest examples from the 14th century. These objects are in astoundingly good condition and originate from the Sawankhalok region of Thailand ju...
Wedding Dress, 1902Santa Ana; AmericanLace, muslin, applique32216aThe Bowers Museum has a rarely seen, but wonderful textile collection. Among this collection are costumes and accessories from Santa Ana’s early families. Pictured here is the wedding dress of Laura Potter Warner. She was the adopted daughter of George and Margaret Warner, owner of “...
Serape Style Blanket, c. 1870Navajo people; New Mexico and ArizonaWool and dye; 60 x 62 in.5504These blankets are bursting with color and expressionistic designs. Contrasting colors and multi-directional patterns create intense movement and vibration for the eye's amusement. In large part it is the repeating diamond motif that allows for such optic...
Hydrangeas, c. 1886Alberta Binford McCloskey (American, 1855-1911)Oil on canvas; 47 1/4 X 39 1/4 X 2 5/8 in. 74.22.19Gift of Mrs. Eleanor RussellBorn c. 1855 in Missouri, Alberta Binford early on demonstrated her natural talent in music and the visual arts. In the early 1880’s she moved to Denver, Colorado where she worked as an artist – a difficul...
Ikenga, 20th CenturyIbgo people; NigeriaWood, paint, organic material; 12 x 9.5 in. Gift of John Ross, D.D.S.91.52.1“The practical purpose of art is to channel a spiritual force into an aesthetically satisfying physical form that captures the presumed attributes of that force.” – Chinua AchebeFor the Igbo people achieving success in work, family an...
Bye-Lo Baby Doll, c.1924Created by Grace Storey Putnman; Los Angeles, CaliforniaFabric, wax, cloth and cotton; 18 x 12 x 6 in.35310Gift of Mr. George PutnamThe Bowers Museum holds in its collection nearly 1700 dolls from around the world. One of the rarest and often inquired about from collectors and researchers is the original Bye-Lo Baby with wax...
Lime Container (Poporo), c. 1000-1500 A.D.Quimbaya people; ColombiaGold; 2 1/2 x 1 in.2006.1.1.1-.2Gift of Greg and Mechas Grinnell in memory of Armand LabbePoporo is the specific name for containers such as the one pictured here that are used to hold lime, a white calcium based powder. When chewing coca leaves, lime is added to activate the plant’...
Head Taker’s Cane Hat, 20th centuryNaga people; Myanmar (Burma)Cane, monkey skull, hornbill beak, boar tusk, boar tail, goat hair and metal; 11 1/2 x 7 x 9 1/4 in.94.52.1Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Donald and Naomi JueThese types of hats and baskets were worn by Naga warriors who participated in the act of head taking. Seen as essential for the rejuvenati...
Vessel, c. 1000-800 B.C.Tlatilco, MexicoKaolin ceramic; 8 1/2 x 6 1/2 in.F74.4.1Rockwell International Electronic Group Fund PurchaseThis elegant globular bottle was found in the late 1940’s at the Pre-Columbian site of Tlatilco that lies just west of present day Mexico City. The perfectly formed whiteware container is interrupted by a flash of con...
Quiver, 19th centuryKlamath people; Southern Oregon or Northeastern CaliforniaDry tule; 17 x 6 x 1 3/4 in.19629Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Harrie H. TeaboldtThis woven quiver that was used to carry arrows is one of approximately six complete examples known to exist. It is a fine example of basket stitching but, the rarity of this object makes it one of th...
Gold Ear Ornaments (Kwottenai), 20th CenturyFulani people; MaliGold and yarn; 9 x 8 1/2 in.97.13.1.1-.2Gift of Bowers Museum Collector's CouncilCurrently on exhibit in the Bowers's Anthony W. and Sharon D. Thompson FoyerThe Fulani emphasize their physical beauty and elaborate adornments are used to draw attention to their appearance which the...
Yam Mask (baba), 20th centuryAbelam people; Maprik area, Prince Alexander Mountains, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea, MelanesiaLygodium vine fiber and cassowary feather; 23 3/8 x 18 x 13 1/4 in.99.76.13299.2.8In the Sepik River Region of Papua New Guinea yams play a prominent role in the agricultural and ceremonial practices of the Abelam peo...
Embroidered wall hanging (pictured without border)Silk, denim, gold, thread and paperJapan, 19th century83” x 59”36756The auspicious dragon, associated with wealth and good fortune, is the subject of this mythology based Japanese textile. The Japanese three-toed dragon lives in a watery realm, but it also has the ability to fly among the clouds. Dr...
It is only days now until the Bowers opens the Dorothy and Donald Kennedy Wing a 30,000 square foot expansion that includes two large galleries, a 300 seat theatre and a beautiful garden. In the Anderson-Hsu-Tu Gallery Ansel Adams: Classic Images features 75 sumptuous black and white photographs by the renowned artist on loan from The Capital Group...
Kimono, 19th CenturyJapanLining, gold and silk; 72 x 49 1/4 in.34981Gift of Mr. Bruce I. HesseThis lightweight silk kimono is incredibly vibrant making it hard to believe that it dates from the first half of the 19th century. The heavy gold thread that constitutes and accentuates many design elements throughout the kimono retains every bit of brill...
A number of objects from various cultures of the Xingu River Basin, located deep in the forest of Brazil, are held in the Bowers Museum. Collected in the 1950’s the objects were donated with thorough photographic and written documentation that provides views and descriptions of many of the objects in context. One of the most fascinating of these im...
BMCA#91.28.1.1,.4,.5,.6Headdress, belt and bracelets, 20th centuryPhami Akha People, Golden Triangle Area, N. ThailandSilver, fabric and beadThis Akha woman’s headdress and jewelry are heirlooms that took many years to assemble since all of the silver had to be accumulated before the ensemble could be completed. The Indian coins are silver, and mos...
Textile Fragment, 5th-6th centuryCoptic Period (3rd-12th centuries), EgyptLinen and wool10 in. x 8 in.79.55.18This brown, red and beige textile fragment was made during Egypt’s Coptic period, a time when Christianity was the dominant religion. Throughout the period a multitude of cultural and religious influences shaped and influenced artistic prod...
Book, Colosso Eloquente, 1748Paper, limp vellum, remnants of ties8 in. x 6 in.7252One of the oldest books in the Bowers Museum’s collection is the Colosso Eloquente, printed in 1748 by Maria de Ribera who ran the Mexico City (then Nueva España) press, Imprenta Real de Superior Gobierno. The book, intended to be educational in nature, describes the ...
Palm Wine Drinking Cup, 20th Century Lele people; Democratic Republic of the CongoWood; 5 3/4 x 3 1/2 x 4 1/4 in. F80.49.1Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Jon HermanPerhaps more than any of the arts in Africa, Kuba art* is concerned with the ornamentation of daily use objects. This tradition was fueled by 18th century officials of...
Portrait of David Hewes, 1854William S. Jewett, AmericanOil on canvas; 35.5 in. 28.5 in.5541Two distinguished individuals are associated with this painting made in San Francisco, 1854. Both men came to California during the mid 1800’s Gold Rush era not following gold, but opportunity and business. Both gentlemen succeeded in making their fortunes a...
Warrior FiguresChina, Tang Dynasty (618-907)Ceramic, paint2001.58.4-.1-.2To be included in the Bowers Museum’s upcoming September exhibition of objects from the permanent collection is this pair of warrior figures serving as guardians. Tomb guardians are commonly found in Chinese tombs, the most notorious being the life size terracotta warriors of ...
Necklace (Wäsekaseka), 18th-19th CenturyFiji, PolynesiaSperm whale tooth and fiber; 13 x 12 3/4 x 1 5/8 in.2004.37.1Don and Barbara Greek Fund Purchase1This necklace is made of twenty Sperm Whale teeth each carved into a sharply pointed tusk-like form. The teeth are strung on a fiber rope and the necklace would be worn so that the points face upwar...
BMCA#23Bowl, n.d.Southern California Native, possibly Gabrieliño, Luiseño or Chumash Sandstone; 10 H x 20 in. Dia.This massive bowl, or mortar, was one of the first objects donated to the Bowers Museum. Masterfully carved with a flat rim, smooth finish and exact proportions, the stone bowl is truly a work of art especially when considering the bowl...
John Norton, Keep These Off the USA, 1918Paper poster40.5 in. x 30.5 in96.41.16This 1918 poster designed by John Norton depicts a pair of blood stained German boots. Dramatic imagery and threatening typeface evokes the terrible consequences of Germans reaching American soil. This poster is one of many that paralleled one of the Treasury Department'...
Painting of Pope Leo XII, c. 1823Artist unknown; Probably of Latin American originOil on panel; 26 x 19.25 in.90.16.1Beginning July 19th visitors to the Riverside Metropolitan Museum will have the chance to view this 19th century painting and others on loan from the Bowers Museum in the exhibition “The Mission Inn: Celebrating 30 Years as a Nationa...
Hunter's backpack, inabnūtanIfugao, Luzon Island, PhilippinesPlaited constructionRattan and palm fiber2001.35.6“Igorot” is the generic name of the several groups of people living in the inner part of the northern Philippine island of Luzon. These people, among other things, share linguistic and artistic commonalities and, a shared history in resist...
Baby carriers, 20th centuryEthnic Minority Groups (un-attributed), ChinaVarious fabrics including cotton, silk and natural fibersGifts of Mr. & Mrs. Long Shung and Anne ShihBowers Museum#2006.11.20; 2006.11.9 Twenty-one textiles representing various styles among the Minority Groups of China have recently been gifted to the museum, contributing ...
Erong (coffin)Toraja People; SulawesiWood and pigment; 46.5 x 37 x 104 in.2004.42.1This 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 b...
Mantle, c. 1200-1500 A.D.Chimu culture; North Coast PeruAlpaca wool and cotton; 38 x 41 1/2 in.91.26.479Gift of Roy and Bentley DillardVibrant 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 i...
Potlatch Bowl, c. 1985Don Lelooska Smith (1933-1996); Cherokee/Kwakiutl CultureWood, shell and mother-of-peral; 9 x 12 x 23 1/2 in.86.51.1Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Charles D. AberleThis 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 ca...
PaintingEquestrian Portrait of Don Jose Andres Sepulveda, c.1856Henri Joseph PenelonOil on canvas; 43 in. x 35 in.2429Artist 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...
Soul Boats, 20th centuryKuna people; PanamaBalsa wood and pigment; 26.5 x 12 x 31 in; 25 x 8 x 26 in.Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest and Auguste Roschen96.5.1; 96.5.2The 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. Fa...
Horsehair Baskets and PotteryCollected 1940-1960Southwest United StatesVarious Dimensions#2003.30.165,.171,.175,.330,.351A, .351B,.362A,.362B,.394,.420Over four hundred miniature baskets and works of pottery make up this collection assembled between 1940 and 1960. Purchased in the Southwest United States, many of the pieces came from hardware store...
Cash RegisterManufactured by the National Cash Register Company, 1910Oak, brass and marble; 66" H76.7.1The National Cash Register Company, based in Dayton, Ohio manufactured this Model 500 cash register in 1910. This particular model was first produced in 1905 and was the first to be equipped with an electric motor. This ten-drawer machine is brass...
Danganan, early 20th centuryMaranao Culture, Mindanao Island, Philippines Ivory, copper, silver and wood; 8 in x 5.5 in.96.27.1Pick Laudati Fund PurchaseThis 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 ol...
Helmet Mask, 20th CenturyBena Biombo people; Democratic Republic of the Congo Wood, paint and feather; 15 1/2 x 12 x 5 7/8 in. F78.4.1Bowers Museum Foundation Acquisition Fund PurchaseWithin the Kasai province in central Democratic Republic of Congo are a number of very small, sometimes ancient tribes who have retained their individuality. Among th...
Pamphlet, c.1900Orange County, California The Most Celebrated Celery District in the World31462Printed 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...
Chinese Export Paintings, 1644-1911 A.D.Han people;Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaWatercolor on pith; 3 x 4 1/2 in.32203AGift of Miss Ruth MyersPainted 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 pai...
Initiation Mask, 20th CenturyPende people; Democratic Republic of the CongoWood, fiber, pigment and metal; 16 x 10 x 10 1/2 in.F78.56.2Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin GamsonThis 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...
Canoe Prow Ornament (nguzu-nguzu), 20th centurySolomon Islands, MelanesiaWood, shell and paint; 13 x 7 in.Gift of Dwight V. Strong84.37.12Early 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 ...
Cog Stones, suggested date 6000-3500 B.C.Milling Stone Horizon Peoples; Southern CaliforniaVarious stones including basalt; average dimension: 3.75 x 1.5 in.Gifts of Chas M. Decker, Mary J. Newland and Hirim Whisler478, 536, 11669, 3649, 477Known as cog stones or cogged stones, these archaeological materials have been found throughout the Southern ...
Head Ornament, 20th centuryChina; Guizhou Province; Miao Culture, Dandu StyleSilver and linen; 13 x 22 in.Gift of Danny and Anne Shih2005.32.2This 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 creat...
Statue of Saint Anthony of Padua, c. 1800Made in Mexico; Used in Southern CaliforniaWood, gesso, paint, cloth, glass, and silver; 60” heightGift of Rosita Yorba Locke20786One 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, th...
Feast Bowl (brukei), c.1900Bipi Island, Northwest Admiralty Islands, Papua New GuineaWood, parinarium nut mastic; 25 3/8 in. diameterPurchased with funds provided by the Jordan Community Trust2007.20.1This beautiful carved wood feast bowl originates from Bipi Island, one of the forty islands that make up the Admiralty Island group, found approximat...
Powder Horn, 1754-1763American; French and Indian War PeriodHorn and wood; 10.25” LGift of Mrs. H. Merritt Adamson6367This 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 pe...
Photograph of "Laughing Bill" Nickols (1862-1940)American; c. 1930Photographer Edward E. Cochems (1874-1935)Gift of Mr. Charles D. Swanner37104William 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...
Carving of a Wedding ProcessionYoruba people, NigeriaWood, cowrie shell and beads; 6 3/4 x 14 1/2 x 14 1/2 in.Bowers Museum Acquisition Fund Purchase77.73.1This 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 separate...
HorseChinese; Song – early Ming Dynasty (AD 960-c.1460)Terracotta; 36 x 31 in.Gift of Heather Sacre2001.6.1.1-.3Horses 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 bre...
Fish Spirit, 20th centuryArtist Ben Sisia (1931- ); New IrelandWood, natural pigments and shell; 38.5 x 15 in.Purchased with funds provided by Trude Jordan 2006.7.1a,bThis 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. Ear...
Food Bowls, 20th centurySawos People, East Sepik Province, Papua New GuineaCeramic and natural pigments; 12.25 diameter each2004.6.38; 2004.6.44Gift of Dr. and Mrs. David and Karina RillingThese food bowls are part of a larger collection originating from the Sawos people in East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea. Each highly decorated utilitarian bo...
Chief’s Stool, late 19th centuryCook Islands, PolynesiaWood; 5.5 x 8.25 x 18.18 in.Bowers Museum purchase courtesy of the Pick Laudati Fund2008.2.1With 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 k...
Cosmetic or Ointment Box, 20th centuryKuba people; Democratic Republic of CongoWood, tacks and camwood powder; 11.5 x 6.5 in.Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Richard BaumF77.70.31The 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 o...
Ceremonial Painting, 20th centuryYao people, ChinaPaper, natural pigment and fiber; 45 x 19.5 in2002.47.30Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Long Shung and Anne ShihThe 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 o...
Spirit Mate, late 19th – 20th centuryBaule people, Ivory CoastWood, bead, paint and kaolin; 10.5 in HGift of Dwight V. Strong82.31.14This 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,...
Bowl, 19th CenturyPolynesian Culture, Marquesas IslandsWood , 7 in. height x 18 in. diameterPurchased with Bowers Acquisition Funds2004.34.1This 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 re...
Mask, 20th centuryKamayura people, Xingu River Basin, BrazilFiber, wood, pigment and wax; 37 x 8 in.Gift of Mr. Michael S. Merrifield91.22.1Carved 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 ...
Business Ledger of Don Tomás Yorba; 1841-1849Santa Ana, CaliforniaPaper, cow hide, ink; 11 3/4 x 8 1/2 in.5071The 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 sett...
Basketry Shield, late 19th – 20th centuryZande people; Democratic Republic of Congo and SudanSplit rattan cane and wood; 47 3/4 x 23 in.Gift of Martha Ann Bryson2003.60.9The 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 ...
Storage Vessel (urpu), 15th – early 16th centuryInca culture; PeruCeramic and glaze; 13 x 11 x 9 in.F81.18.1Bowers Museum Foundation Acquisition Fund Purchase Photo by Minshu Wang 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 Inca...
Photograph by Minshu WangRaven Rattle, late 19th centuryTlingit Culture; Fort Wrangell, AlaskaWood, paint and cedar twine; 14 x 4.25 in.Gift of the John J. Burkhard Family89.34.1This 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 f...
Milliner's Model Doll with Apollo Knot Hair, c.1830GermanyPapier-mâché, cotton, wood, leather and chemise; 23 in.86.17.1This 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 fea...
Saddle, 20th 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 at...
Maze Stone, prehistoricGabrieliño/Juaneño people; Trabuco Canyon, CaliforniaGranite; 6 1/2 tonsBowers Museum CollectionThe 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 ...
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 BoteroSmokin...
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...
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...
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 i...
Indonesian Dance Shield (Salawaku), 19th centurySeram Island, Maluku Islands, IndonesiaWood, shell & pigment; 27 x 4 1/2 x 3 1/2 in.85.24.5Gift of Dwight V. StrongThe 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 Mela...
Whole Cloth Quilt, 1776Lucretia Smith ; Missouri or IowaLinen and woolGift of Ethel G. Abbott37075 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 o...
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 cultur...
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 o...
Adoration of the Shepherds, c. mid-16th centuryAttributed to Michiel, the elder, Coxie (Flemish, 1499-1592)Oil on oak panel;12 x 9 1/2 in. 81.13.1Gift of Mr. Vasek PolakDonated 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 Ador...
Human Tooth Necklace (Vuasagale), 18th – 19th CenturyFiji, PolynesiaHuman tooth and fiberJordan Community Trust Purchase2010.2.1A 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 neckl...
Female Ancestor Figure (Tau-tau), c.1980Sa Dan Toraja culture, IndonesiaWood, paint, textile, hair and glass; 58 x 19 x 212009.13.1Bowers Museum PurchaseA 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...
First Phase Chief's Blanket, c. 1850-1860Navajo people; American southwestWool; 71 1/2 x 53 3/4 in.1845Gift of Charles F. NewcombeA 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...
Wells Fargo Strong Box, c.1855CaliforniaWood, iron, leather, and paint; 10 1/2 x 21 1/2 x 14 in.32739BGift 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 ban...
Pair of Ceremonial Feathered Moccasins (bottom view), date unknownAboriginal people; Western AustraliaFiber, emu feather and human hair; 5 x 9 x 1 in.92.3.1.1-.2Gift of Mr. George BrookAt 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...
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...
Initiation Mask, 20th centuryBayaka people; Democratic Republic of Congo Wood, raffia and paint; 25 x 17 x 11 in.F74.12.2Bowers Museum PurchaseMuch 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. ...
Over Modeled Skull, 20th CenturyMiddle Sepik River area, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea, MelanesiaHuman skull, clay, pigment, shell, and human hair; 5 7/8 x 5 7/8 x 7 15/16 in.99.43.9Donated by Rear Admiral Ralph and Sara GarrisonThis over modeled skull is a funerary ritual object from the Middle Sepik River area in Papua New Guinea and can ...
Tunic and Skirt, 20th centuryLi people; Hainan Island, ChinaLinen and cotton;38 x 28 in.2008.6.16Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Danny and Anne ShihIn 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 ...
Birds, Animals, and Flowering Plants in Imaginary SceneItō Jakuchū (1716-1800)Edo Period, 18th centuryPair of six-panel folding screens, ink and colors on paperEach: 168.7 x 374.4 cmCourtesy of the Etsuko and Joe Price CollectionThese paintings are remarkable in thousands of ways – about 43,000 to be exact. That is roughly the number of squares tha...
Memorial Statues (Balbals), reproductions Mongolia and Central Asia Gift of National Museum of History, TaipeiThe 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...
Flag Quilt, c. 1915Maker unknown; AmericanCotton and wool; 61 1/2 x 75 1/2 in.31932Gift of Mrs. I. KalebaughThe 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 wer...
TigerItō Jakuchū (1716-1800)Edo period, dated Hōreki 5 (1755)Hanging scroll, ink and colors on silk129.7 x 71 cmProminently 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, fr...
Rooster, Hen, and Hydrangeas Itō Jakuchū (1716-1800)Edo Period, 18th CenturyHanging Scroll, ink and colors on silk140cm x 85 cmCourtesy of the Etsuko and Joe Price CollectionJakuchū 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 arou...
Officer’s Frock Coat, 19th centuryCivil War period; AmericanWool and brass; 45 x 19 in.3465Gift of Mrs. G.A. EnsingerThis 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 Fo...
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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 KeevePrimarily agriculturalists, the Bamana people of Mali number about 1.5 million people. Agriculture plays an important role in their religion, evident in the va...
Wheeled Jaguar Effigy, c. 550-800 A.D.Veracruz, MexicoCeramic and wood; 3 5/8 x 2 1/2 x 4 3/4 in.94.43.1Gift of Mrs. Sharon W. Ettinger Normal 0 false false false EN-US ZH-TW X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-prior...
The Bowers Museum staff is making final preparations for the highly anticipated Fabergé: Imperial Jeweler to the Tsars opening on June 23, 2012. The exhibition comes courtesy of the McFerrin Collection and the Houston Museum of Natural Science and will be on exhibit through the holidays until January 6, 2013. Here is the centerpiece of ...
Shield, late 19th-early 20th CenturyAmarro people; southwestern EthiopiaAnimal hide; 26 1/8 x 25 1/2 x 6 in.2003.60.13Gift of Ms. Martha Ann BrysonThe phrase “looks can be deceiving” applies to this African shield. It may appear plain-looking, but its creation and use are anything but simple. The shield is crafted from the hides of the rhinoceros, ...
Standing Female Figure, c. 300-550 A.D.Remojadas culture; Veracruz, MexicoCeramic and black pitch; 25 x 16 15/16 x 6 1/8 in.2003.10.2Gift of Peter G. WrayThe 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 an...
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800x600 Male Headdress Masks (Sisiu), 20th CenturySulka people; East New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea, MelanesiaWood, fiber, tonga leaves and natural pigment; 31 1/2 x 31 x 23 1/2 in. 2009.6.1 Bowers Museum General Acquisition Fund PurchaseFemale Headdress Mask (Sisiu), 20th CenturySulka people; East New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea, Me...
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Burden Basket, late 19th - early 20th centuryWestern Apache people; ArizonaWillow, devil's claw, buckskin fringe and cloth; 12 x 16 1/4 x 18 3/4 in.33133Gift of Mr. Lawrence GaleThe conical burden basket of the Western Apache seen at the Bowers Museum is uniquely a woman’s accessory. The basket woven from willow branches and adorned with devi...
Nimba Headdress, 20th century Nalu culture;Guinea or Guinea-Bissau, AfricaWood and paint; 53 1/2 x 24 x 15 in.2012.7.1Gift of Dr. Charles and Eileen MohlerImage Courtesy Heather James Fine Art If you have been through the doors of our south lobby lately, you will have noticed that there is a new object in the entranceway greeting our visitors. This...
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One of the largest states during the Warring States period of China (475-221 BCE), the Chu held onto much of their traditional beliefs despite pressure from the former Zhou dynasty to adopt new beliefs. One of theseTomb Demon, Warring States Period to Western Han Dynasty (475 B.C. - 9 A.D.)Han people; ChinaWood and paint; 28 x 25 1/2 in.97.122.1Gif...
Indian Potter, c. 1914Eanger Irving Couse (American, 1866-1936)Oil on canvas; 29 1/2 x 33 1/2 in.F7709Gift of Martha C. Stevens Memorial Art CollectionE.I. Couse was born Eanger Irving Couse on September 3, 1866 in Saginaw, Michigan. At an early age Couse was exposed to the Chippewa people, a Native American tribe living close to his home in ...
Doorboard (Amitung), 20th CenturyTelefol people; Telefomin village, Star Mountains, Sandaun (West Sepik) Province, Papua New Guinea, MelanesiaWood and paint; 109 ½ x 33 ½ x 1 1/8 in. 2009.5.12Bowers Museum General Acquisition Fund PurchaseThe Telefomin are one of several related highland peoples known as the “Min” or “Mountain Ok” who live in the S...
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Relics of a Spanish Galleon Shipwreck, 18thCenturyMexican made; found at Solana Beach, CaliforniaWood; 7 1/2 - 5 1/2 in.39088.1-.2 Normal 0 false false false EN-US ZH-TW X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:9...
Shark Tooth Hand Sword, mid 19th CenturyI-Kiribati culture; Gilbert Islands, Kiribati, MicronesiaPalm wood, shark skin, shark teeth, reed and sennit; 19 × 2 1/2 × 3/4 in.2014.17.1Bowers Museum Purchase Normal 0 false false false EN-US ZH-TW X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0...
Coquette Doll, c. 1903-1912Made by Gebrüder Heubach, GermanyBisque, satin, lace, and muslin; 21 in.7893Gift of E.P. Cutter Normal 0 false false false EN-US ZH-TW X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-s...
Ceremonial Dance Axe (Pem), early 20th CenturyTolai culture; East New Britain Province, New Britain, Bismarck Archipelago, Papua New Guinea, Melanesia, OceaniaWood and paint; 37 1/2 × 4 1/2 × 1 in.2014.18.1Bowers Museum PurchaseThe pem of the Tolai people are a part of a group of sacred objects known as pokopoko. Wooden pokopoko were typically made...
Hunan Province CountrysideAfter working for a week in busy downtown Changsha, China Bowers’ staff members were delighted to head to the country and feast their eyes on the paintings of Qi Baishi. An exhibition of the artist’s paintings, seals and wood carvings has been in the works for more than a year. It is the first time, and most likely the las...
Feather Mosaic Dance Ornament, 20th CenturyAymara people; Isla del Sol, Lake Titicaca, BoliviaCane, feather and fiber; 1/2 x 22 x 13 3/4 in.94.2.1.6Gift of the Gift of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of Law Enforcement Normal 0 false false false EN-US ZH-TW X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table No...
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Jacob Frères, armchair (fauteuil) from the Council Room (Salle du Conseil), Malmaison, France, 1800. Painted and gilded beech; original under-upholstery and red wool show cover (silk, velvet, and gilded silver trim), 38 x 26. x 28 in. New York Historical Society, gift of Louis Borg, 1867.438. © New York Historical Society. Normal 0 false false fals...
Unknown, Portrait of a Young Woman with a Harpsichord, Mexico, early 18th century. Oil on canvas, 61⅝ x 40⅜ in. Denver Art Museum, gift of Frederick and Jan Mayer, 3.2007. Photo courtesy Denver Art Museum. Normal 0 false false false EN-US ZH-TW X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowba...
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Don Pio Pico, 1868Henry J. Frey (American, b?-d?)Oil on canvas; 24 x 20 in.3513Gift of Mrs. John ForsterIt’s safe to say most of today’s Californians have heard the name Pío Pico, even if they can’t place him as the last Mexican governor of California. He was a man who started with nothing and ended with nothing, but was among the richest Californi...
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La Buenaventura, c. 1927Charles Percy Austin (American, 1883-1948)Oil on canvas; 34 x 36 in.32195aGift of Mr. Ralph J. StevenHanging in the California Paintings Hall of the Bowers Museum is a rather striking painting titled La Buenaventura, or The Good Fortune. What might be standard fare, an early 20th century genre painting carried out by a mo...
Standing Female Figure, early 20th CenturyAsmat culture; Papua (Irian Jaya) Province, Indonesia, MelanesiaWood and bone; 45 1/2 × 9 × 10 in.2013.19.1Bowers Museum PurchaseWith approximately 70,000 inhabitants living in hundreds of villages,the cultural region of Asmat is located along the southwestern coast and inland region of the world’s third la...
Spirit Jar, Western Jin Dynasty (281-316 A.D.)ChinaCeramic; 16 1/2 x 8 3/8 in.2000.65.2Gift of Heather SacreThe Spring Festival refers to the lunar calendar, yet also pertains to folklore referring to the period beginning with the ceremony for worshipping the Kitchen God on the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month, and ending with the Lanter...
A “Heart” Shot, Late 19th CenturyUnknown Artist; United States of AmericaPaper and Ink31055.4Gift of Mrs. John S. HelmkenThe late 19th Century in the United States presented many burgeoning technologies, such as the steam engine and electricity to name a few examples. Methods of communication seemed to move more rapidly, with the ease of the nation...
Living in Southern California has its perks; the most obvious one being the invariably warm climate. It does not take much effort to stumble upon California in popular culture, as certain words flash in our minds such as Hollywood, the film industry, or Los Angeles.“Silver Moon” Lemon Crate Label Print, c. 1945San Fernando Heights Lemon Association...
In this uncharacteristically chilly cold weather in Southern California, are you dreaming of a beachside getaway as much as we are at the Bowers? Women's Swimsuit, early 20th CenturyUnited States of AmericaCotton; 19 3/4 x 35 3/4 in.2010.20.1Gift of Mrs. Bunny LawsonBy 1900, people were flocking to the beach for popular seaside-oriented activities ...
Before films came into being and after still photography garnered world-wide popularity, there was a brief era when the stereoscopic image was the primary source for capturing all things exotic and lesser-known. Our featured image is a stereograph thematically appropriate for this Holiday season, titled, “Jerusalem from Mt. Scopus, Palestine,” that...
Daoist Priest's Robe (Daogongfu), 20th CenturyYao culture; Possibly Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous RegionCotton and silkGift of Mr. and Mrs. Danny and Anne ShihIn American popular culture, we have seen the Yin Yang symbol emblazoned on items from wallets to jewelry—but do we really know the cultural origin of this circular emblem? The answer lies i...
Cannon, mid 18th to early 19th CenturyPossibly SpanishWood and cast iron; 22 1/2 x 35 3/4 x 22 1/2 in.82.2.1Bowers Museum PurchaseBuried treasure unearths a secret yearning to explore in the hearts of sailors and landlubbers alike. The truth though, is that if treasure hunting was easy or especially rewarding the entire world would be combing the d...
Untitled, c. 1885Ferdinand Richardt (American, [b. Demark] 1819-1895)Oil on canvas; 71 1/4 x 47 3/4 x 5 in.40722Anonymous Gift"Suddenly, from behind the rim of the Moon, in long, slow-motion moments of immense majesty, there emerges a sparkling blue and white jewel, a light, delicate sky-blue sphere laced with slowly swirling veils of white, rising...
Star Egg Carriers and Tray’s Egg Carton, c. 1906Rochester, New YorkWood and jute board; 2 ¾ x 6 3/8 x 8 1/4 in. 32845A, BGift ofDr. & Mrs. Emory S. MooreMany things are not made to be broken: paintings, sculptures, Bowers Museum’s rare artifacts from Oceania and Asia; these cultural objects demand proper handling techniques. Eggs on the other h...
Hoko-san "Good Luck" Doll, 20th CenturyJapanese; Takamatsu City, Shikoku Island, JapanPapier maché, paint and synthetic hair; 5 1/2 × 3 × 3 in.87.4.42aGift of the Clarence and Evanda Perry TrustGood luck charms are used in a variety of cultures to ward off evil spirits and diseases. These talismans can take many forms: rings, pendants, human and an...
Ambiguous Image of Three Men, Two Women and a Goat, early 20th CenturyArtist unknownPossibly chromolithograph; 5 3/4 x 5 1/4 x 1/2 in.6490Gift of Mrs. H. Merritt AdamsonHe lived as a devil, eh? It’s far from often that we come across palindromes like the preceding sentence, phrases which can be inverted to spell out the same message as they wo...
Sculpture of Man with Seal, c. 1950Abraham Pov (Inuit, 1927-1994); CanadaSoapstone; 7 1/4 x 10 x 10 1/4 in. 92.20.8Gift of the Les Aikman FamilyHauntingly staring directly at onlookers, this Inuit soapstone carving made by the indigenous artisan Abraham Pov is an important artifact in the 20thcentury’s history of Inuit peoples. Prior to the early 1...
In honor of the belief that Daylight Saving Time was designed to benefit farmers, here is one of the paintings from our collection of California artworks. Rural California, 1940Evylena Nunn Miller (American, 1888-1966)Oil on Canvas; 30 x 36 1/2 in.F7711Gift of Evylena Nunn Miller This landscape with white barn, tall eucalyptus trees, farm wago...
Miquelet Pistol, c. 1750 Ripoll, Catalonia, SpainWood, engraved brass, iron and steel; 10 3/4 in.F80.65.1Bowers Museum Foundation Acquisitions Fund PurchaseMiquelet Pistol, c. 1750 Ripoll, Catalonia, SpainWood, engraved brass, iron and steel; 2 x 10 3/4 x 5 in.F80.65.2Bowers Museum Foundation Acquisitions Fund PurchaseDetail of F80.65.1Th...
Spoons, mid 19th CenturyDuhme & Co.; Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of AmericaCoin silver; Various dimensions19939, 19940, 19951, 19955Gift of Ms. Sarah Jane Brittenham EstateIn honor of President’s Day, we present to you a set of silver spoons used during the Van Buren administration in the mid-19th Century. One may not automatically think fl...
The Historic Museum Hallway in the Bowers Museum's Mary Muth Historic Wing.Visitors to the Bowers often ask about the origins of the museum’s Mary Muth Historic Wing which deceptively bears a striking resemblance to an old rancho home or a forgotten Santa Ana mission. With Frank Lloyd Wright: Architecture of the Interior just recently ope...
Judgement Mask (Gla Kla’a), mid 20th CenturyGuéré People; Ivory Coast, AfricaWood, fabric, hair, metal, feather and paint; 13 in.2002.59.4Gift of James CaronaChaos is part and parcel of the world in which we live. Entropic forces can take any number of forms, and though they usually cannot directly be battled, the We peoples of the southwestern for...
Straight Razors, 19th to early 20thCenturyVarious makers; Various countriesSteel and horn; 6 x 7/8 x 3/8 in.31403.4-.6Harry and Mabel Duffill CollectionAlbert Duffill, 1891Unknown photographer; Toronto, CanadaPhotographic print; 12 x 10 1/2 in. 31370.3Harry and Mabel Duffill CollectionAlthough specific traditions and dates for Father’s Day differ f...
House Façade, mid 18th CenturyProbably Ketagalan; probably Gongliao District, New Taipei City, TaiwanCamphor wood; 94 × 107 × 1 in.L.2017.1.1a,bLoan Courtesy of the Pomona College Museum of ArtGift of Dr. William KirkThere is in my possession a plank which a hundred years ago was the end of a native chief's house. It is a single piece of more than ...
A Great Wish,1998Loretta Yang, Liu Li Gong Fang (USA), Inc. Pate de verre and glass; 11 1/2 x 12 x 25 in2001.19.1Gift of Liu Li Gong Fang (USA), Inc.Loretta Hui-Shan Yang’s A Great Wish rests luminously in the Bowers Museum’s Thompson Foyer, a larger-than-life-size glass sculpture of an infant nestled safely in the palm of a hand. Located in the br...
Slit Gong Drum (Garamut), late 18th-19th CenturyGovermas village, Blackwater River, Middle Sepik River region, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea, MelanesiaGaramut wood; 19 x 17 x 77 in.2004.64.1 Anonymous GiftMusic plays a role in every human culture on earth, and often musical instruments are culturally just as rich as the sounds they produce....
Baby Cradle, 19th centuryYurok, Karok or Hupa people; Northern CaliforniaHazelnut shoots and leather; 12 x 24 in.39635Gift of Mrs. George TsudaMoms carry us, it’s just what they do. Whether it’s a shoulder to lean on after a stressful week or watching our own kids to let us have a night out, we should be thankful for loving mothers year-round; Moth...
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