Hopi Figure of Hututu Kachina, Arizona

Allan Stone, New York
Sotheby's, New York, The Collection of Allan Stone, Volume Two, May 16, 2014, lot 113
James F. Scott, Charlottesville, acquired at the above auction

Very good condition overall. Nicks, chips, scratches and abrasions throughout consistent with age and use. Losses to the paint in places throughout as partially visible in the catalogue illustration. Separately carved ears, forearms, lower projecting part of costume and fore-parts of both feet are glued. Attached to modern stand.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Carved out of dried cottonwood roots by initiated Hopi men, kachina figures – called tithu in the Hopi language – represent the different spirits that lie at the foundation of Hopi theology. These spirits, also called kachinas, act as intermediaries between the supernatural and material worlds and possess the power to bring rain to the parched desert landscape and to protect the overall well-being of Hopi villages. From December to July of each year, the Hopi believed that kachina spirits mingled among the living and held dance ceremonies during which men wearing colorful costumes embodied kachinas. The figures were presented to girls and young women as instruments of protection as well as guides for proper behavior. Far from being treated as 'dolls' in the Western sense, kachina figures were displayed in Hopi homes out of reverence for the spirits and as mnemonic tools.

Perhaps drawn to the figures' bewildered expressions or their connection to the spiritual realm, surrealist artists André Breton and Max Ernst were renowned collectors of kachina figures. Breton displayed his collection on a wall in his Paris apartment while Ernst, together with Peggy Guggenheim, to whom he was married between 1941-1946, had a dog named Kachina.