The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of May 13, 2024
Bird Standard
early to mid-1900s
Overall: 42 cm (16 9/16 in.)
Gift of Katherine C. White 1974.204
Location: not on view
Description
An eagle depicted in flight originally surmounting a long staff, the bird standard is offered to the winner of a hoeing contest between young men. The competition is not only meant to promote social cohesion and solidarity, it also serves to encourage fertility. Honoring the endurance of a victorious farmer, such a bird standard is also used as a display sculpture during the funeral of a former champion or a member of his courtyard or family unit.- ?-1974Katherine C. White (aka Katherine Merkel, Katherine Reswick)1974-The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH by gift
- CMA 1975: "Year in Review 1974," CMA Bulletin LXII (March, 1975), p. 97, no. 19CMA 1968: "African Tribal Images: The Katherine White Reswick Collection," cat. no. 24, repr.
- {{cite web|title=Bird Standard|url=false|author=|year=early to mid-1900s|access-date=13 May 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1974.204