Utility Box
Unknown Artist
1825–30
Medium
Wood, metal
Dimensions
H. 6 1/2 x W. 10 1/2 in. (16.5 x 26.7 cm)
Classification
Wood-Sculpture
Culture
Supiak
Department
Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Ralph T. Coe Collection, Gift of Ralph T. Coe Foundation for the Arts, 2011
Accession Number
2011.154.164a–g
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite Utility Box, crafted by an unknown Supiak artist around 1825–30, hails from the rich traditions of the indigenous peoples of Alaska, now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art Department of Arts of Africa,, and the Americas. a compact 6½ x 10½ inches, it exemplifies everyday ingenuity transformed into enduring art. The Supiak, part of the broader Yup'ik cultural sphere, were skilled makers of practical containers that served vital roles in daily life and community rituals, storing food, tools, or ceremonial items in the harsh Arctic environment. Fashioned from wood with metal...