deconstructed basket

deconstructed basket

deconstructed basket

top image
Introduction

Deconstructed basket made of birchbark with porcupine quillwork and silk ribbon edging. There are floral motifs depicting flowers in vases on four of the panels.. Collected by Martin Pitzer, this item is currently housed at the Weltmuseum Wien in Vienna, Austria.

Name of Maker(s): Unknown Wendat artist
Nation of Maker: Huron-Wendat
Nation of Origin

According to an assessment by Ruth Phillips during a GRASAC visit to the Weltmuseum Wien, the basket is associated with the Wendat people. Autumn Epple agrees and theorizes based on design and materials, it is may be associated with the Wendat community of Wendake (formerly Lorette), who were known for their crafting.

Date Made or Date Range: Before 1854
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

GRASAC research notes created during an onsite visit to Weltmuseum in January of 2016.

Materials

Birchbark, porcupine quills, silk ribbon edging, cotton thread.

Techniques or Format

Used to be a plate with 8 side pieces and one bottom piece.

Motifs and Patterns

Floral motifs; 4 panels that are 3 flowers in vases; two with with orange (marguerite?) flowers, blue and white flowers and red (marguerite?) flowers.

Dimensions: 9 × 0 × 0 cm
Condition: Fair - completely deconstructed some quills missing, colour is faded.
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

Martin Pitzer collected this item; he travelled to the Great Lakes region in the 1850s.

Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 131763
Collection at Current Location: Martin Pitzer Collection
Date Relative was First Removed or Collected from its Community Context: 1850s
Previous Collectors: Martin Pitzer
Collection Narratives and Histories

Austrian church painter Martin Pitzer travelled to the Great Lakes region, to "the Ottawa villages of Arbre Croche and Cross Village" in the early 1850s. He collected a significant number of items and brought them back to Austria to be part of an exhibition to raise money for the mission.

GKS Reference Number: 59047
How to Cite this Item

Unknown Wendat artist, basket. Currently in the Weltmuseum Wien, Vienna, Austria, 131763. Item photographed and described as part of a GRASAC research trip January 2016; GRASAC item id 59047.

Record Creation Context

In January of 2016, a small team of GRASAC researchers visited the collection to study and photograph it: Ruth Phillips, Lisa Truong, Naomi Recollet (Anishinaabe (Odawa/Ojibwe), Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory) and Wahsontiio Cross (Mohawk, Kahnawake). This GKS record was created in January of 2022 by GRASAC RA Aidan Mitchell-Boudreau.

Approximate Place of Origin

43.6, -71.9