Boas, Franz: Primitive art (Oslo , Leipzig [u.a.], 1927)

Art of the North Pacific Coast of North America

231


Animals are represented by means of sections not only on flat
surfaces, but also in round carvings in which one side cannot be
shown. This is the case on all totem poles, for the rear side of
the pole is not carved. Whenever all the
symbols of the animal can be shown on
the front of the totem pole, the animals
are apparently represented in their natural
position. But representations of animals,
the symbols of which would be placed
on the rear side of the totem pole, make
it clear that the artist actually splits the
animals along the rear of the totem pole,
and extends this cut in such a way that
the animal is spread along the curved
front of the pole. This will become clear
by a consideration of the following figures.
Fig. 235 represents a sea-monster with
a whale’s body and bear’s paws. It differs
from the monster discussed before in that
it has a whale’s head, and no fins at-
tached to the fore paws. It has, how-
ever, one large dorsal fin. The blow-
hole of the whale is shown over its
eyebrows. The tail is turned up in front
of the body, and the paws are raised in
front of the chest. The dorsal fin will
be recognized in the narrow strip, orna-
mented with a small ring, which slants
downward from the elbow towards the tail. An ornament of this
sort is shown on both sides of the carving. We see, therefore, that
the dorsal fin has been split, and is turned down along each side
of the body. This shows that the right and left margins of the
carved portion of the totem pole must be considered as the medial
line of the back, which has been split and pulled apart.


Fig. 235. Fig. 236.
Fig. 235. Model of totem pole re-
presenting a sea-monster, Haida.
Fig. 236. Model of totem pole
representing a sculpin, Haida.