Kwakwaka'wakw (Kwakiutl) Native North American

The Kwakiutl probably learned the art of making painted hats from their northern neighbors, the Haida. The hats’ imagery is also often derived from the Haida, Tlingit, and Tsimshian cultures. The figure seen here may represent a sea monster. The head, with its prominent nostrils and mouth, is placed at the front of the hat, with the body depicted along each side of the crown.
Museum Works of Art Fund 44.152