Feather headdress

ca. 1900

Not on view

Returned to lender

This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.

Only prominent warriors earned the right to wear a full-feather headdress. A headdress reflected the individual achievements of the owner and was also part of the regalia of specific warrior societies. Today Native leaders present feather headdresses to government officials and politicians to signify a diplomatic relationship.

Artwork Details

Overview

Exhibition History

Title: Feather headdress
Artist: Unrecorded Lakota (Sioux) artist
Date: ca. 1900
Geography: United States, North or South Dakota
Culture: Lakota (Sioux)
Medium: Eagle feathers, down, felt, porcupine quills, red cloth, glass beads, yarn, ermine skins, horsehair
Dimensions: H. 26 × W. 20 in. (66 × 50.8 cm)
Classification: Feathers-Costumes
Credit Line: Eugene and Clare Thaw Collection, Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown, NY (T0060)
Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing