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Human Effigy

18th century (?)
Not on view
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.
The humanity and profound spirituality projected by this mysterious wood figure make it one of the most compelling sculptures of Native art. In the exhibition, the man holds in his arms a cloth bundle containing sacred tobacco. His expression is serene and direct, and his elongated torso, arms, and legs possess a lifelike tension. Related figures came from the ancient Mississippian culture and also appear on Pawnee pipes from the early 1800s.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Human Effigy
  • Date: 18th century (?)
  • Geography: United States
  • Culture: Southeastern Plains, Caddoan
  • Medium: Wood, pigment, human hair
  • Dimensions: Height: 6 7/8 in. (17.5 cm)
  • Classification: Wood-Sculpture
  • Credit Line: National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., Department of Anthropology (E378577-0)
  • Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing