Maroon suede altar cloth with navy backed taffeta and gold embroidery / Unknown

Essay/Description

Embroidered "American Indian Religion" with gold metallic thread and backed with white pebble cloth for embroidery. Machine stitched with gold metallic fringe around entire border.

Curatorial Remarks

Altar cloth were used in the Southern Plains primarily by the Kiowa during peyote meeting. The cloth was most likely placed on the altar and possibly put the father peyote on top the cloth.

Tags: Native American Church, altar, cloth, gold fringe, blue cloth, red cloth, embroidered
People: Harding Big Bow, Kiowa
Places: Southern Plains, Oklahoma
Purpose: peyote meeting

From interviews with Dr. Garrick Bailey, 2018-2020 University of Tulsa, Professor Emeritus of Anthropology

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Anthropology Item Information

©Gilcrease Museum

Title(s):

Maroon suede altar cloth with navy backed taffeta and gold embroidery

Creator(s):

Unknown

Harding Big Bow (Used by)

Culture:

Native American; Kiowa (user)

Date:

20th century

Place:

Oklahoma

Materials/Techniques:

cloth, cotton

Classification:

Ethnographic Objects

Object Type:

Altar Cloth

Credit Line:

Gift of Pearl Big Bow

Accession No:

99.257

Previous Number(s):

tl1997.73.15

Department:

Anthropology

Not On View

Dimensions

Overall:

Length: 17in. (43.2cm)
Width: 22 1/2in. (57.2cm)

About the Creator(s)

From Gilcrease Museum:

Creator:

Harding Big Bow

Biography:

Mr. Big Bow was a roadman and organizational leader in the Native American Church, having served as the President of the Native American Church of Oklahoma. He was also an easel painter in the Kiowa style. He was the co-organizer of the exhibition project that became "Symbols of Faith and Belief: The Art of the Native American Church" alongside Gilcrease Senior Curator at the time Daniel Swan. After his death, his wife Pearl Big Bow gave his NAC equipment and other objects to Gilcrease Museum. Mr. Big Bow's life work, and art are described in various publications, especially Dan Swan's (1999) "Peyote religious Art", Jackson: University of Mississippi; (1990) Southern Plains Indian Museum and Crafts Center: Symbolic Paintings by Harding Big Bow, Anadarko.

Role(s):

Used by

From Getty's Union List of Artist Names:

Names (all):

Big Bow, Harding

Birth Date:

1921

Death Date:

1997

Nationalities:

Native American

Roles:

Kiowa painter and flute maker, 1921-1997

Gender:

male

Cite this Page

Unknown. Maroon suede altar cloth with navy backed taffeta and gold embroidery. 99.257. 20th century. Tulsa: Gilcrease Museum, https://collections.gilcrease.org/object/99257 (08/14/2019).

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