Clown Hano - Koshare - Lot 35

Clown Hano - Koshare Hopi, Arizona H. 28.5 cm (without base and fibers) Carved wood (cottonwood root), natural pigments, plant fibers Circa 1900 Provenance : - Claude Lévi-Strauss Collection (1908-2009), Paris - Sale C. L.-S. collection, June 21, 1951, Hôtel Drouot, Paris (auctioneer: Maurice Rheims assisted by Charles Ratton), lot 36 - Collection Jacques Lacan (1901-1981), acquired at the above sale - Loudmer sale, "Arts Primitifs - Poupées Kachina des Indiens Pueblos provenant de la Collection Jacques Lacan", Drouot, Paris, June 27, 1991 lot 4 - Edith and Roland Flak Collection, Paris - Collection Léo Scheer & Nathalie Rheims, Paris, acquired from previous owners in 2003 Exhibited and published: - La Danse des Kachina, Pavillon des Arts, Paris, 1998, pl. 43, page 99 - Esprit Kachina, June 2003, Barton Wright, Galerie Flak, Paris, page 65 - Photographed by Man Ray circa 1945, Poupées Kachinas, original negative in the collections of the Musée national d'art moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, inventory: AM 1994-393 (5198) "Is this, yes or no, poetry as we continue to hear it?" This question posed by André Breton (Entretiens, Paris, Gallimard, 1952, pp. 244-245) seems perfectly applicable to this black-and-white striped figure imbued with spirituality, humor and dreaminess. Measuring 28.5 cm high, this Hopi wooden statuette is carved from the root of the paako (cottonwood), the American poplar. It is decorated with natural pigments on a lime background. The figure stands with legs slightly bent in a dynamic posture. His face is naturalistic, with large, questioning eyes. It is topped by a two-horned headdress adorned with plant fiber ornaments, probably dried corn leaves. The costume is striped with horizontal black and white stripes. The necklace and bracelets are painted blue, while the boots are highlighted with red pigments. The loincloth is sculpted in volume, as is the bun at the back of the head. The characteristics of the sculpture (proportions, posture and slight lateral torsion of the upper body, naturalism of the facial features) correspond to the ancient canons of Hopi art. This sculpture can be dated to the very early years of the twentieth century, perhaps even earlier. This figure thus corresponds to the earliest known styles of Kachina sculpture, with the earliest recorded examples dating back to the 1870s-1880s. In terms of identification, this figure of the Hopi pantheon is known by several names: Clown Koshare, Glouton Hano, Koyala or Paiyakyamu. He is a character of Tewa origin (Pueblo group of the Rio Grande) whose adoption by the Hopi probably dates back to the period following the Pueblo Revolt of 1680 against the Spanish invaders. As Barton Wright points out inEsprit Kachina(2003), Koshare clowns are not Kachinas (Katsinam) in the strict sense of the word; they come to entertain the public during ceremonies. However, they are also, and above all, guardians of tradition: they mock and ridicule behavior that does not conform to tradition. They always perform in groups, and make a name for themselves with their facetiousness and gluttony. In addition to the theatrical and comical nature of their appearances, Clowns enable Guardians and Warriors to enforce order and embody justice and wisdom. The Guardians often win the day, but sometimes the Clowns rout them, causing disorder and confusion at the very heart of the ceremony. This is no coincidence, but a symbolic, choreographed illustration of the inherent failings of human nature. Indeed, for the Hopi, the community of Kachina spirits resembles that of humans: some members aspire to conform to the established order, while others constantly bend or break the rules. Far from being regarded with contempt, the Clowns are respected, feared and admired. These "Masters of Disorder" represent what Roger Caillois called "the sacredness of transgression" (L'Homme et le Sacré, 1939). During his stay with the Hopi in 1945, André Breton attended several Kachina ceremonies, including the Clown Dances (Koyala wolverines) on Saturday August 25 in the village of Mishongnovi on Second Mesa. In hisCarnet de voyage chez les Indiens Hopi (reprinted in 2024 by Hermann), he writes: "The clowns sometimes break the line of dancers, imitating the shepherd who frequently pretends to draw his bow and stands outside the line. They also imitate the corn-dressers. When the dancers have retired, the women bring them innumerable provisions (breads of all shapes, watermelons, oranges, hard-boiled eggs, oranges, etc.).