Returned to lender The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Beaver Effigy Bowl
Not on view
This early carving is an abstract depiction of the sacred beaver. The sleek, rounded form and long, flat tail identify the animal. When turned over, it served as a bowl. Through reduction and simplified representation, male carvers of the Woodlands and Plains tribes sought to capture the essential characteristics of their subjects. The finest among them, like this artist, demonstrated great skill in combining form and function.
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