1996.223 Tray (Arizona, Western Apache)


GENERAL DESCRIPTION  
The Western Apache reside in eastern Arizona between the Salt and Gila rivers. The populations have a long tradition of basket weaving, a practice intimately related to textile arts. Women weavers create bi-chrome or polychrome designs by incorporating wooden strips from local plants, such as willow (Saliz spp.) and cottonwood (Populus spp.) for the light-colored ground and Devil’s claw (Proboscidea parviflora) for the dark frames and patterns. The bowls and trays, which can vary considerably in size, regularly boast a dark central circle and finished rim. While the Western Apache incorporated figuration, the most common designs include geometric or abstract motifs, such as crosses, spirals, and stars. Pertaining to northern New Mexico, the Jicarilla Apache similarly excel at basket weaving (their Spanish name literally means “little basket”), producing rich polychrome radial patterns. 

Adapted from
DMA Label Copy (1996.226).

NOTES
Apache -- Western Apache, late 19th–early 20th century (noted on TMS), updated by KJones on 10/15/13 and 10/06/16.

Catalogue essays

Artist/designers

Cultures
Apache (culture or style): AAT: 300017724
Western Apache (Apache / Southwestern Native American culture or style): AAT: 300017734
Western North American styles (Pre-Columbian): AAT: 300016888
Southwestern North American styles (Pre-Columbian): AAT: 300016920

Geography
Arizona (state): TGN: 7006451
Southwest (general region): TGN: 4010660

Process/materials
plant fibers: AAT: 300014031
textiles (visual works): AAT: 300014063
textile materials: AAT: 300231565
weaving: AAT: 300053642
knotting (textile construction processes and techniques): AAT: 300053635
tying: AAT: 300053026
basketry: AAT: 300053590
coiling (pottery technique): AAT: 300053903

Historical periods

Individuals

Subject terms
containers (hierarchy name): AAT: 300045611
vessels (containers): AAT: 300193015
trays: AAT: 300043071
storage containers: AAT: 300197582
red (color): AAAT: 300126225
tan (color): AAT: 300266248
brown (color): AAT: 300127490
black (color): AAT: 300130920
geometric motifs: AAT: 300009764
geometric patterns: AAT: 300165213
geometric motifs: AAT: 300009764
geometric shape: AAT: 300263819
circles (plane figures): AAT: 300055627
lines (geometric concept): AAT: 300056279
bands (decorative): DMA
parallel (positional attributes): AAT: 300010284
diamonds (motifs): AAT: 300009791
rims: AAT: 300203193
Gila (county / Arizona): TGN: 2000093
Salt River Canyon (valley / Arizona): TGN: 2639238
basket weave (patterns): DMA
baskets (containers): AAT: 300194498
textile art (visual works): AAT: 300386843
polychrome: AAT: 300252261
design (discipline): AAT: 300054171
wood (plant material): AAT: 300011914
plants (living organisms): AAT: 300132360
willow (wood): AAT: 300012498
cottonwood (wood): AAT: 300012383
devil’s claw (plant / Proboscidea parviflora / Martyniaceae family): DMA
patterns (design elements): AAT: 300010108
bowls (vessels): AAT: 300203596
jars (vessels): AAT: 300195347
figures (representations): AAT: 300189808
geometric abstraction: AAT: 300056509
crosses (motifs): AAT: 300010044
spirals (geometric figures): AAT: 300163114
scrolls (spirals/motifs): AAT: 300010094
stars (motifs): AAT: 300009811
New Mexico (state/United States): TGN: 7007566
Jicarilla Apache (Apache / Southwestern Native American culture or style): AAT: 300017730
patterning: AAT: 300248891
repetition (artistic concept): AAT: 300400861

RELATED OBJECTS

PROVENANCE
From 1996: Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Robert Saunders Prescott in memory of his mother, Frances Saunders Prescott [1], [2]

[1] The main source for this provenance is Committee on Collections Record (dated December 23, 1996, copy in Dallas Museum of Art Collections Records Object File, Confidential). Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted. 

[2] The main source for this provenance is Deed of Gift (dated January 14, 1997, copy in Dallas Museum of Art Collections Records Object File, Confidential). Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.

AUDIO ASSETS

VIDEO ASSETS

IMAGE ASSETS

WEB RESOURCES

ARCHIVAL RESOURCES

FUN FACTS

TEACHING IDEAS

RULES
Apply to objects where number equals 1996.223

Category
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General Description
 
The Western Apache reside in eastern Arizona between the Salt and Gila rivers. The populations have a long tradition of basket weaving, a practice intimately related to textile arts. Women weavers create bi-chrome or polychrome designs by incorporating wooden strips from local plants, such as willow (Saliz spp.) and cottonwood (Populus spp.) for the light-colored ground and Devil’s claw (Proboscidea parviflora) for the dark frames and patterns. The bowls and trays, which can vary considerably in size, regularly boast a dark central circle and finished rim. While the Western Apache incorporated figuration, the most common designs include geometric or abstract motifs, such as crosses, spirals, and stars. Pertaining to northern New Mexico, the Jicarilla Apache similarly excel at basket weaving (their Spanish name literally means “little basket”), producing rich polychrome radial patterns. 

Adapted from
DMA Label Copy (1996.226).

Fun Facts

Archival Resources

Web Resources

Notes
Apache -- Western Apache, late 19th–early 20th century (noted on TMS), updated by KJones on 10/15/13 and 10/06/16.

Catalogue essays

Artist/designers

Cultures
Apache (culture or style): AAT: 300017724
Western Apache (Apache / Southwestern Native American culture or style): AAT: 300017734
Western North American styles (Pre-Columbian): AAT: 300016888
Southwestern North American styles (Pre-Columbian): AAT: 300016920

Geography
Arizona (state): TGN: 7006451
Southwest (general region): TGN: 4010660

Process/materials
plant fibers: AAT: 300014031
textiles (visual works): AAT: 300014063
textile materials: AAT: 300231565
weaving: AAT: 300053642
knotting (textile construction processes and techniques): AAT: 300053635
tying: AAT: 300053026
basketry: AAT: 300053590
coiling (pottery technique): AAT: 300053903

Historical periods

Individuals

Subject terms
containers (hierarchy name): AAT: 300045611
vessels (containers): AAT: 300193015
trays: AAT: 300043071
storage containers: AAT: 300197582
red (color): AAAT: 300126225
tan (color): AAT: 300266248
brown (color): AAT: 300127490
black (color): AAT: 300130920
geometric motifs: AAT: 300009764
geometric patterns: AAT: 300165213
geometric motifs: AAT: 300009764
geometric shape: AAT: 300263819
circles (plane figures): AAT: 300055627
lines (geometric concept): AAT: 300056279
bands (decorative): DMA
parallel (positional attributes): AAT: 300010284
diamonds (motifs): AAT: 300009791
rims: AAT: 300203193
Gila (county / Arizona): TGN: 2000093
Salt River Canyon (valley / Arizona): TGN: 2639238
basket weave (patterns): DMA
baskets (containers): AAT: 300194498
textile art (visual works): AAT: 300386843
polychrome: AAT: 300252261
design (discipline): AAT: 300054171
wood (plant material): AAT: 300011914
plants (living organisms): AAT: 300132360
willow (wood): AAT: 300012498
cottonwood (wood): AAT: 300012383
devil’s claw (plant / Proboscidea parviflora / Martyniaceae family): DMA
patterns (design elements): AAT: 300010108
bowls (vessels): AAT: 300203596
jars (vessels): AAT: 300195347
figures (representations): AAT: 300189808
geometric abstraction: AAT: 300056509
crosses (motifs): AAT: 300010044
spirals (geometric figures): AAT: 300163114
scrolls (spirals/motifs): AAT: 300010094
stars (motifs): AAT: 300009811
New Mexico (state/United States): TGN: 7007566
Jicarilla Apache (Apache / Southwestern Native American culture or style): AAT: 300017730
patterning: AAT: 300248891
repetition (artistic concept): AAT: 300400861

RELATED OBJECTS

PROVENANCE
From 1996: Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Robert Saunders Prescott in memory of his mother, Frances Saunders Prescott [1], [2]

[1] The main source for this provenance is Committee on Collections Record (dated December 23, 1996, copy in Dallas Museum of Art Collections Records Object File, Confidential). Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted. 

[2] The main source for this provenance is Deed of Gift (dated January 14, 1997, copy in Dallas Museum of Art Collections Records Object File, Confidential). Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.

AUDIO ASSETS

VIDEO ASSETS

rules
Apply To
Objects
number
Equals
1996.223
tags
#draft
#completed
@Higgins
*Arts of the Americas
~American Indian
%copyedited_Gail
coiling (pottery technique): AAT: 300053903
figures (representations): AAT: 300189808
%Archived
vessels (containers): AAT: 300193015
geometric motifs: AAT: 300009764
geometric patterns: AAT: 300165213
scrolls (spirals/motifs): AAT: 300010094
spirals (geometric figures): AAT: 300163114
lines (geometric concept): AAT: 300056279
Southwest (general region/United States): TGN: 4010660
containers (hierarchy name): AAT: 300045611
storage containers: AAT: 300197582
wood (plant material): AAT: 300011914
crosses (motifs): AAT: 300010044
patterns (design elements): AAT: 300010108
textiles (visual works): AAT: 300014063
circles (plane figures): AAT: 300055627
bands (decorative): DMA
geometric shape: AAT: 300263819
brown (color): AAT: 300127490
repetition (artistic concept): AAT: 300400861
plants (living organisms): AAT: 300132360
black (color): AAT: 300130920
bowls (vessels): AAT: 300203596
New Mexico (state/United States): TGN: 7007566
Southwestern North American styles (Pre-Columbian): AAT: 300016920
parallel (positional attributes): AAT: 300010284
diamonds (motifs): AAT: 300009791
geometric abstraction: AAT: 300056509
polychrome: AAT: 300252261
Arizona (state/United States): TGN: 7006451
jars (vessels): AAT: 300195347
Western North American styles (Pre-Columbian): AAT: 300016888
trays: AAT: 300043071
baskets (containers): AAT: 300194498
patterning: AAT: 300248891
design (discipline): AAT: 300054171
Gila (county / Arizona): TGN: 2000093
weaving: AAT: 300053642
textile art (visual works): AAT: 300386843
textile materials: AAT: 300231565
stars (motifs): AAT: 300009811
plant fibers: AAT: 300014031
basketry: AAT: 300053590
knotting (textile construction processes and techniques): AAT: 300053635
willow (wood): AAT: 300012498
rims: AAT: 300203193
tying: AAT: 300053026
cottonwood (wood): AAT: 300012383
tan (color): AAT: 300266248
basket weave (patterns): AAT: 300400693
Western Apache (Apache / Southwestern Native American culture or style): AAT: 300017734
Apache (culture or style): AAT: 300017724
Salt River Canyon (valley / Arizona): TGN: 2639238
devil’s claw (plant / Proboscidea parviflora / Martyniaceae family): DMA
Jicarilla Apache (Apache / Southwestern Native American culture or style): AAT: 300017730
source file
object_notes_3_a-0585.xml.nores