Spirit Board
| Origin | Wapo Creek |
|---|---|
| Title | Spirit Board (Gope) |
| Date | 20th century |
| Medium | Wood and pigment |
| Dimensions | Object: 50 × 19 1/4 × 4 in. (127 × 48.9 × 10.2 cm) Overall: 50 x 19 1/4 x 4 in. (127 x 48.9 x 10.2 cm) |
| Credit Line | Gift of Evelyn A.J. Hall and John A. Friede, Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University |
| Accession Number | 83.52.3 |
| This artwork is currently on view. | |
A carved wooden board with abstract designs representing a figure. There is a clear face in the upper third of the board.
Gope boards, depicting ancestral spirits, emphasize outline and color contrasts. While these spirit boards were owned by individuals they were kept in men’s ceremonial houses. The purpose of these boards was to be the dwelling place of the spirit that it depicts. These spirits were associated with a specific natural feature and linked with the clan of the owner.
There are a number of different styles, but all spirit boards depict a face as well as a series of abstract patterns that are interpreted as bodies. The colors most commonly used include white, red, and black.
Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.
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Cite this page
"Spirit Board | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=83.52.3