Tlingit artist, House Partition with Shakes Family Crest, about 1840. Wood, paint, and human hair; 180 x 108 in. Denver Art Museum: Native Arts acquisition fund, 1951.315

height: 180 in, 457.2000 cm; width: 108 in, 274.3200 cm

Native Arts

Indigenous Arts of North America

This version of the screen dates back to about 1840 and is a remake of a still earlier one. Part of the older version of the screen went to the Washington State Museum's collection. The screen at the DAM was used and on display in Wrangell, AK until 1933, when it was purchased by the art dealer Walter C. Waters from Chief Shakes' widow. In 1939, an artist, Wolfgang Paalen purchased the screen from Mr. Waters and kept it in his home. Finally in 1950, the DAM acquired it from Paalen via Altman Antiques in Los Angeles. In the 1950s, another version of the screen was made and placed in a reconstruction of Chief Shakes' house on its original site. This version remained in use until the 2010s when the community sought to remake it again. DAM was asked for assistance in this process by providing detailed measurements and high-resolution images which were used to guide the design and size of this newest version of the screen currently in use in the community.

Shakes Family, Shakes Island, Wrangell, Alaska, about 1840-1933; purchased by Walter C. Waters, Wrangell, Alaska, 1933-1939; purchased by Wolfgang Paalen, Wrangell, Alaska, 1939-1950; [Altman Antiques], Los Angeles, CA, 1950; purchased by the Denver Art Museum, 1950

• “Stampede: Animals in Art” — Denver Art Museum, 9/10/2017