Match Case; Haudenausanee (Iroquois), 1908; Beads, velvet, sequins, cotton, ribbon; Great Lakes/Woodlands region, North America; The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Gift of Maureen and Terry White

Iroquois Whimseys: The Art of Innovation

Friday, April 21, 2006—Sunday, February 11, 2007
Gallery 261
Free Exhibition

Iroquois artists utilized new techniques, materials, and designs to create small works of art that reveal both Iroquois and European-American aesthetics.

Whimseys--items of home décor--beautified American homes during the Victorian era and beyond. Native American artists created an endless variety of pincushions, picture frames, match cases, and similar items. Whimseys often reflected then-popular decorative forms. Their beadwork illustrates a new style characterized by rich, three-dimensional floral and animal motifs.

The lavish beadwork, vibrant colors, familiar designs, and connection to Native American craftspeople gave these objects great appeal in European-American homes.