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flute, courting
flute, courting
flute, courting
A wooden courting flute, probably made by a Sioux artist. The end is carved in the shape of an animal's head, possibly a fish, with eyes made of commercial brass nails and zig zag motifs extending from its mouth. Collected by G.C. Beltrami in Wisconsin in 1823. Vigorelli, the Beltrami Collection catalogue's author, describes it as a "Santee Courting flute."
The author of the Beltrami catalogue, Vigorelli, states that "Sante Sioux" is this item's the Nation of Origin.
Based on museum documentation.
Read More About This Relative
wood, red cedar(?); hide; metal tacks; cotton; commercial yarn; dye, red
Carved from wood and painted. Metal nails or tacks have been used decoratively, as the eyes of the being carved at the bottom opening of the flute. String and yarn is wrapped around the flute near the mouthpiece and in other places. There are eight finger holes holes in the flute.
An animal, possibly a fish. There are zig zag motifs carved on one side of the animal's mouth, possibly both. The photos only show one side of the flute.
Vigorelli, the Beltrami Collection catalogue's author, states this object is a Santee Courting flute.
He wrote: "La sagomatura in forma di testa di pesce dello strumento e'' legata ad una leggenda riportata in J.Ewers e raccolta da E.Deloria fra i Santee Sioux nel 1941. "Ad un ragazzo povero era stata rifiutata in moglie la figlia di un capo. Gli conparvero allora in sogno due alci, nella forma di un giovane, che gli donarono un flauto fatto come un pesce che produceva un suono dolce. Appena il suono del flauto riempi'' l''aria, tutte le donne lasciarono i loro letti e lo seguirono". (p. 32)
Vigorelli, the Beltrami Collection catalogue's author, states this object is the oldest preserved courting flute.
Provenance
Collected by G.C. Beltrami from Wisconsin in 1823. Beltrami's collection catalogue states that around 1856, Beltrami's nephew donated several objects to the Civic Library of Bergamo, which were later transferred to the Museo Civico di Scienze Naturali.
The Beltrami Collection was exhibited in Florence in 1929 during the "Prima Esposizione Nazionale di Storia delle Scienze" (First National Exposition of History of Sciences"). In 1973, during a celebration of the Beltrami exhibit, Glauco Luchetti donated three objects from his own collection, which were located in Beltrami's last house in Filottrano, to the "Museo Civico E. Caffi". In 1987 the collection was used in the exhibit entitled "Missisippi 1823. Oggetti indiani raccolti da G. Costantino Beltrami" in the Galleria Lorenzelli in Bergamo.
Beltrami's catalogue. Vigorelli, Gli Oggetti indiani raccolti da G.Costantino Beltrami (p.32).
Leonardo Vigorelli, Gli Oggetti indiani raccolti da G.Costantino Beltrami, Civico Museo E. Caffi, Bergamo, 1987.
About This GRASAC Record
This record was created by Emanuela Rossi after a trip, funded by GRASAC, to the Museo Civico E. Caffi in Bergamo, Italy in October 2008.
Researchers present: Emanuela Rossi
43.6, -71.9
In the Beltrami Collection Catalogue, the author, Leonardo Vigorelli, defines "Upper Mississippi" as the Cultural Area of Origin. He defines "Northern Plains" as the Geographic Area.