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The full figure of a standing cat, tail thrust upward.
Smiling Cat
Courtesy of the Harn Museum of Art, Photography by Foad Seyed Mohammadi

Smiling Cat

Artist Jesse Aaron (American, 1897 - 1979)
Datelate 20th century
MediumWood, buttons
Dimensions28 × 22 × 46 in. (71.1 × 55.9 × 116.8 cm)
ClassificationsSculpture
Credit LineGift of Josh Feldstein
Object number2017.76.1
Collections
Visual DescriptionThe full figure of a standing cat, tail thrust upward.
This appears to be a modern version of a Tsonga doll. Donor notes state that it belonged to a healer or nsangoma and was for fertility, healing and used in engagement ceremonies for young women.
Child Figure (mwana)
Tsonga Artist
late 20th century
Wood cylinder with knob on each end, wrapped with dark blue beads, upper half, and strands of white glass and other beads on lower half, including vertical strands of ostrich shell beads and clear and light green glass beads. Large mother of pearl button in the center; right arm made of strand of alternating light and dark glass beads. Left arm is missing, as are some other beads.
Child Figure (okana kositi)
Ambo Artist
late 19th century
Cylindrical form wrapped with fiber, and hair and long braided strands on top. Glass or plastic bead strands on top and neck (yellow and blue beads) and wood or other brown beads (?) encircling form. Entire form is covered with red ochre
Doll
Ambo Artist, Mwila group
20th century
Cylindrical core wrapped with strands of beads in registers of red, white and green; top is covered with white, red, blue, yellow and green beads, clumps of beaded strands on either side of top with same colors. Panels of beads encircle base, and rest on a thick ruffled white cloth skirt. Two brown buttons attached to one side, slightly askew.
Doll (nwana)
Tsonga Artist
20th century
Dog figure with a large triangular head
Untitled (Dog)
Jesse Aaron
c. late 1960s
A mixed-media piece with tightly packed buttons in concentric rings of alternating black and mixed-color buttons radiate outward from a central white disk speckled with tiny colorful marks.
Untitled
Elias Sime
2002
Roughly carved wooden head; wide nose with round nostrils; small, black, inlaid eyes; wide mouth.
untitled
Jesse Aaron
c. 1972
Wood sculpture is of a face.
Untitled
Jesse Aaron
1968
Mask
Mask
Jesse Aaron
1973
Roughly carved figure with multiple human faces and one animal face, all with glass eyes.
Multi-headed Animal
Jesse Aaron
undated
Beaded panels attached to a band of ostrich eggshell beads, with strands of ostrich eggshell beads forming a fringe between beaded strips of black and white beads, Beadwork is attached to a hide apron.
Apron
Yei Artist
20th century
The Fengu blankets are similiar to those of the Xhosa. This one has the fur trim which the Fengu prefer as well as the older mother-of-pearl buttons. There is also the fine black wool embroidery work and the delicate use of the glass bead-work. The blanket would have been worn partially folded over by about one third the width. The origin is Mazizini.
Man's Blanket (Ingubo)
Zulu Artist
1850-1950

Collections research is ongoing. Information provided on the Harn’s website about collection objects may be updated, revised, or enhanced at any time.

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