Navajo Deer Kachina By Francis Largo

Late 20th Century
Size 12″ H x 3.25″ x 3.75″ D Base

Hand Carved and Painted in Red, White and Black with a Leather Skirt with Red, White, Green and Black Yarn with a Green Yarn Neck Fluff, Red Yarn Ear Muffs and Feathers in the Headdress Holding a Teel Colored Maraca.

Excellent Condition

Francis Largo is a renowned Navajo artist known for his skilled carving and craftsmanship of kachina dolls, which are figures representing spiritual beings in Hopi and other Southwestern Native American cultures.His work is highly regarded, with pieces often exceeding the standards of typical Navajo kachinas sold as souvenirs.Largo’s kachina dolls are frequently signed and feature detailed carving, paint, and embellishments such as feathers, leather, and beads.

The Deer Kachina, known as Sowi-ingwa or Deer Dancer, is a significant figure in Hopi culture, often depicted in dances to ensure an abundance of game, bring rain, promote grass growth, and secure plentiful food for the future. These dolls are traditionally carved from cottonwood root and feature detailed elements like antlers, feathers, and a juniper collar, with the dancer holding sticks to represent the deers front legs. The Deer Kachina is a social dancer, believed to influence rain and ensure sufficient snow for a good harvest.