1940's Hopi Katsina of a Navajo Woman

How do you see yourself? How do you think others see you?

This 1940's Hopi katsina is a hand carved depiction of a Navajo woman. To some degree, she portrays how Hopi artists viewed Navajo women.

A vintage piece, the katsina is carved in the old style. Hopi carvers actually create several different Katsina representations of their Navajo neighbors as well as other tribes.

The female katsina is wearing traditional Navajo rather than Hopi dress. She's not a carving that is found very often, and she's certainly arresting with her big facial features and bright clothing.

She measures 9 1/2" tall and is unsigned. She's in good condition for being almost an octogenarian. She's just missing her hands, which almost somehow adds to her mystique. 

She was last collected by Martha Hopkins Struever.