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"The Katlian Robe"
Limited Edition Giclee Print
$130.00 (shrinkwrapped; includes shipping)
©2004 by Clarissa Hudson
Edition of 299 signed & numbered prints of original
18" x 24"acrylic painting
Image size: 12" x 16"
Paper size: 13" x 19"
In November 2004, Sealaska Heritage Institute commissioned
me to create a book cover for their latest publication
by Dick and Nora Dauenhauer; a book about the 1804 Tlingit
and Russian battle in Sitka, Alaska, where the Tlingit
attack was led by Chief Kaitlian. In this painting,
I made an effort to put most of the suggestions made
by the Dauhauers and SHI into symbolized imagery on
Kaitlian's robe, while the other elements are visually
portrayed outside of the robe.
There were several requests that Sealaska Heritage Institute
and the Dauenhauers wanted portrayed in the bookcover;
included are: mountains, ocean, the Russian fort, Russian
ships, an image of the Tlingit men preparing for battle
by sitting in the freezing, early morning ocean, Chief
Katlian's helmet, and Katlian wearing a woven robe.
I was also asked to visually suggest a link between
the present generations with their ancestors from the
past. I designed the layout of the painting to accommodate
the title of the book and the authors' names.
In October 2004, a 200-year anniversary potlatch was
held commemorating this event, hosted by the Kiksadi
in Sitka. SHI wanted to honor the sensitivity of the
subject, event and the clan by not portraying the "battle"
or any aspect of anticipating warfare on the bookcover.
The 200-year potlatch was a "healing" ceremony.
To honor SHI's request, I did not include any indication
of warfare (battle weaponry, etc.). In this painting,
I portrayed Katlian as someone who was anticipating
the battle; he stands in a "prepared" manner,
concerned for his village, relatives, family and friends,
He prepared himself through cleansing rituals, addressed
the battle plan with his men, and worked towards a "balanced"
and meditative mind, body, heart and spirit.
Katlian is wearing a Ravenstail robe I designed. Some
of the woven elements are from an old robe portrayed
in an early 1800s painting by a Russian artist; some
of the design elements are the "mountains",
"Russian ships", and the "men preparing
themselves for battle" (chilkat faces). The robe
portrayed in this new painting is a "combination
robe," a union of Ravenstail and Chilkat weaving
techniques. Although this robe could have been woven
shortly after the battle, or anytime between then and
now, this "modern" robe portrays a physical
documentation of the 1804 battle; in keeping to Tlingit
tradition, it is a part of a history "written"
in woven form.
Although Katlian's body faces the fort across the water,
he makes direct eye contact with the person(s) who stand
behind him, the warriors who were with him at the time
of battle —and he’s making direct eye contact
with people of present day who are looking at the painting,
whether it be the image on the cover of the Dauenhauer's
book, the original painting or print, or the image on
this website — linking the past, present and future
generations, crossing time and space.
The painting has somewhat of an "antique"
feel to it, which is something that I had originally
intended when I laid the first strokes of paint. Also,
I am presently in the process of weaving this robe and
hope to have the robe completed by the time the book
is published in late Spring, Early Summer 2007.
Print Price: $130.00 (shrinkwrapped; includes
shipping)
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