The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of April 18, 2024
Stilt Footrest
early 1800s
Overall: 40 x 7.7 x 11.8 cm (15 3/4 x 3 1/16 x 4 5/8 in.)
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Klejman 1970.114
Location: not on view
Description
Stilt walking and knockdown stilt contests were favorite forms of amusement and competition on the Marquesas Islands. The decorated footrest was secured to a six-foot stilt pole by wrapping sennit fiber cord through a wide slit at the carved figure's back and around the pointed end. Champion stilt walkers competed with those from other tribes during great festivals. Special artists carved the footrests from hardwood and cured them in the mud of a taro patch.- Year in Review: 1970. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (February 10-March 7, 1971).
- {{cite web|title=Stilt Footrest|url=false|author=|year=early 1800s|access-date=18 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1970.114