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Kachinas: A Hopi Artist's Documentary
Barton Wright, a recognized authority on Hopi Kachinas, has prepared an introduction to the Kachina culture and detailed commentary on 237 paintings of individual kachinas, all reproduced in full color.
The meticulous paintings are all by the late Hopi artist Cliff Bahnimptewa, and reflect the Hopi traditions that were handed down to him through generations of Hopi ancestors and the art of kachina-making taught to him by his grandfather.
Hopi Kachinas have for years captured the imagination and curiosity of many people. These super-natural beings are spiritual personifications of living things, objects and concepts that fill the natural world, and with which humans interact. In the Hopi yearly cycle of religious ceremonies kachinas are often represented by costumed dancers, and they are also seen in the form of carved figures and paintings.
This book is a fascinating, colorful and comprehensive guide to kachinas in Hopi ritual culture and art.
The meticulous paintings are all by the late Hopi artist Cliff Bahnimptewa, and reflect the Hopi traditions that were handed down to him through generations of Hopi ancestors and the art of kachina-making taught to him by his grandfather.
Hopi Kachinas have for years captured the imagination and curiosity of many people. These super-natural beings are spiritual personifications of living things, objects and concepts that fill the natural world, and with which humans interact. In the Hopi yearly cycle of religious ceremonies kachinas are often represented by costumed dancers, and they are also seen in the form of carved figures and paintings.
This book is a fascinating, colorful and comprehensive guide to kachinas in Hopi ritual culture and art.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 25, 1973
32 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 29, 2011
This is my coffee table book about Kachinas--the photographs are large and beuatiful and the text does a decent job of describing what the kachinas represent
November 2, 2025
Author: Barton Wright
Title: Kachinas: A Hopi Artist's Documentary
Series:
Cover Rating:
Book Rating:
Barton Wright, a recognized authority on Hopi Kachinas, has prepared an introduction to the Kachina culture and detailed commentary on 237 paintings of individual kachinas, all reproduced in full color.
The meticulous paintings are all by the late Hopi artist Cliff Bahnimptewa, and reflect the Hopi traditions that were handed down to him through generations of Hopi ancestors and the art of kachina-making taught to him by his grandfather.
Hopi Kachinas have for years captured the imagination and curiosity of many people. These super-natural beings are spiritual personifications of living things, objects and concepts that fill the natural world, and with which humans interact. In the Hopi yearly cycle of religious ceremonies kachinas are often represented by costumed dancers, and they are also seen in the form of carved figures and paintings.
This book is a fascinating, colorful and comprehensive guide to kachinas in Hopi ritual culture and art.
I decided to read this book in memory of my grandmother who spent countless hours creating her very own Kachinas based on her heritage often using this book as inspiration for some of her pieces. I really felt closer to my grandmother after reading through Kachinas. Its a beautiful way to get in touch with your own history as art often transcends language and speaks to everyone.
Krissys Bookshelf Reviews purchased a copy for personal collection. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.
If any of Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews has been helpful please stop by to like my post or leave a comment to let me know what you think. I love hearing from you!
Title: Kachinas: A Hopi Artist's Documentary
Series:
Cover Rating:
Book Rating:
Barton Wright, a recognized authority on Hopi Kachinas, has prepared an introduction to the Kachina culture and detailed commentary on 237 paintings of individual kachinas, all reproduced in full color.
The meticulous paintings are all by the late Hopi artist Cliff Bahnimptewa, and reflect the Hopi traditions that were handed down to him through generations of Hopi ancestors and the art of kachina-making taught to him by his grandfather.
Hopi Kachinas have for years captured the imagination and curiosity of many people. These super-natural beings are spiritual personifications of living things, objects and concepts that fill the natural world, and with which humans interact. In the Hopi yearly cycle of religious ceremonies kachinas are often represented by costumed dancers, and they are also seen in the form of carved figures and paintings.
This book is a fascinating, colorful and comprehensive guide to kachinas in Hopi ritual culture and art.
I decided to read this book in memory of my grandmother who spent countless hours creating her very own Kachinas based on her heritage often using this book as inspiration for some of her pieces. I really felt closer to my grandmother after reading through Kachinas. Its a beautiful way to get in touch with your own history as art often transcends language and speaks to everyone.
Krissys Bookshelf Reviews purchased a copy for personal collection. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.
If any of Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews has been helpful please stop by to like my post or leave a comment to let me know what you think. I love hearing from you!
July 2, 2018
This is a remarkably beautiful, fascinating and detailed book about Hopi Kachinas.
Barton Wright's Introduction presents information about Hopi life, Kachina culture, seasonal ritual practices and history. The body of the book consists of detailed discussion of each of the individual Kachina dancers depicted in Bahnimptewa's 237 gorgeous paintings.
I highly recommend this book as a go-to reference for anyone with an interest in Hopi life and kachina culture.
Barton Wright's Introduction presents information about Hopi life, Kachina culture, seasonal ritual practices and history. The body of the book consists of detailed discussion of each of the individual Kachina dancers depicted in Bahnimptewa's 237 gorgeous paintings.
I highly recommend this book as a go-to reference for anyone with an interest in Hopi life and kachina culture.
July 26, 2016
I love this wonderful book about native american spirits, which my son got for me in a recent trip to New Mexico. I particularly like the colorful illustrations of these fascinating masks, and the interesting captions give a good introduction to the spirits they represent. I devoured the book from cover to cover — and it’s given me a vision for my next art project: an interactive Kachina World. :)
Learn more about Kachinas:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kachina
Learn more about Kachinas:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kachina
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews