Copied
Tom Yazzie, Yeibichai Dancers with Medicine Man and Patient, ca. 1991-1992, carved and painted cottonwood, sand, overall: 12 7⁄8 x 51 1⁄4 x 7 3⁄4 in. (32.7 x 130.2 x 19.7 cm.) A (base): 3⁄4 x 51 1⁄4 x 7 in. (1.9 x 130.2 x 17.8 cm.) B (medicine man): 10 1⁄2 x 4 x 3 1⁄2 in. (26.7 x 10.2 x 8.9 cm.) C (woman with basket): 9 1⁄2 x 4 x 3 in. (24.1 x 10.2 x 7.6 cm.) D (first man in mask): 12 x 3 7⁄8 x 3 3⁄4 in. (30.5 x 9.8 x 9.5 cm.) E (first woman in mask): 8 7⁄8 x 3 1⁄2 x 3 in. (22.5 x 8.9 x 7.6 cm.) F(second man in mask): 11 1⁄8 x 4 1⁄4 x 3 3⁄4 in. (28.3 x 10.8 x 9.5 cm.) G (second woman in mask): 8 1⁄2 x 3 1⁄2 x 3 in. (21.6 x 8.9 x 7.6 cm.) H (third man in mask): 11 x 3 1⁄2 x 4 in. (27.9 x 8.9 x 10.2 cm.) I (third woman in mask): 9 1⁄2 x 3 3⁄4 x 3 3⁄4 in. (24.1 x 9.5 x 9.5 cm.) J (fourth man in mask): 10 1⁄2 x 3 7⁄8 x 3 1⁄2 in. (26.7 x 9.8 x 8.9 cm.) K (fourth woman in mask): 8 3⁄4 x 3 5⁄8 x 3 1⁄4 in. (22.2 x 9.2 x 8.3 cm.) L (fifth man in mask): 11 1⁄4 x 4 1⁄8 x 4 in. (28.6 x 10.5 x 10.2 cm.) M (fifth woman in mask): 9 1⁄2 x 3 3⁄4 x 3 1⁄4 in. (24.1 x 9.5 x 8.3 cm.) N (sixth man in mask): 11 x 3 3⁄4 x 3 1⁄2 in. (27.9 x 9.5 x 8.9 cm.) O (sixth woman in mask): 9 1⁄2 x 4 x 3 3⁄8 in. (24.1 x 10.2 x 8.6 cm.) P (seventh man in mask): 10 3⁄4 x 4 1⁄4 x 4 in. (27.3 x 10.8 x 10.2 cm.) Q (eighth man in mask, bending): 9 1⁄4 x 5 1⁄2 x 4 3⁄4 in. (23.5 x 14.0 x 12.1 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Chuck and Jan Rosenak and museum purchase through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment, 1997.124.103A-Q
Copied
Artwork Details
- Title
- Yeibichai Dancers with Medicine Man and Patient
- Artist
- Date
- ca. 1991-1992
- Location
- Dimensions
- overall: 12 7⁄8 x 51 1⁄4 x 7 3⁄4 in. (32.7 x 130.2 x 19.7 cm.) A (base): 3⁄4 x 51 1⁄4 x 7 in. (1.9 x 130.2 x 17.8 cm.) B (medicine man): 10 1⁄2 x 4 x 3 1⁄2 in. (26.7 x 10.2 x 8.9 cm.) C (woman with basket): 9 1⁄2 x 4 x 3 in. (24.1 x 10.2 x 7.6 cm.) D (first man in mask): 12 x 3 7⁄8 x 3 3⁄4 in. (30.5 x 9.8 x 9.5 cm.) E (first woman in mask): 8 7⁄8 x 3 1⁄2 x 3 in. (22.5 x 8.9 x 7.6 cm.) F(second man in mask): 11 1⁄8 x 4 1⁄4 x 3 3⁄4 in. (28.3 x 10.8 x 9.5 cm.) G (second woman in mask): 8 1⁄2 x 3 1⁄2 x 3 in. (21.6 x 8.9 x 7.6 cm.) H (third man in mask): 11 x 3 1⁄2 x 4 in. (27.9 x 8.9 x 10.2 cm.) I (third woman in mask): 9 1⁄2 x 3 3⁄4 x 3 3⁄4 in. (24.1 x 9.5 x 9.5 cm.) J (fourth man in mask): 10 1⁄2 x 3 7⁄8 x 3 1⁄2 in. (26.7 x 9.8 x 8.9 cm.) K (fourth woman in mask): 8 3⁄4 x 3 5⁄8 x 3 1⁄4 in. (22.2 x 9.2 x 8.3 cm.) L (fifth man in mask): 11 1⁄4 x 4 1⁄8 x 4 in. (28.6 x 10.5 x 10.2 cm.) M (fifth woman in mask): 9 1⁄2 x 3 3⁄4 x 3 1⁄4 in. (24.1 x 9.5 x 8.3 cm.) N (sixth man in mask): 11 x 3 3⁄4 x 3 1⁄2 in. (27.9 x 9.5 x 8.9 cm.) O (sixth woman in mask): 9 1⁄2 x 4 x 3 3⁄8 in. (24.1 x 10.2 x 8.6 cm.) P (seventh man in mask): 10 3⁄4 x 4 1⁄4 x 4 in. (27.3 x 10.8 x 10.2 cm.) Q (eighth man in mask, bending): 9 1⁄4 x 5 1⁄2 x 4 3⁄4 in. (23.5 x 14.0 x 12.1 cm.)
- Credit Line
- Gift of Chuck and Jan Rosenak and museum purchase through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment
- Mediums
- Mediums Description
- carved and painted cottonwood, sand
- Classifications
- Subjects
- Figure group
- Indian — Navajo
- Occupation — medicine — doctor
- State of being — illness
- Ceremony — Indian — Medicine Ceremony
- Ceremony — dance — Yeibichai Dance
- Object Number
- 1997.124.103A-Q
Artwork Description
The Yeibichai are supernatural beings who created the Navajo people and taught them how to live in harmony with the universe. This piece represents the Nightway ceremony of the Navajos, in which a medicine man calls upon the power of the Yeibichai to heal someone. The ceremony also involves a dance with fourteen people: six men, six women, a dancer representing the Talking God, and one representing the Water Sprinkler. Tom Yazzie has depicted all of the participants in this sacred ceremony in his carving, wearing their ceremonial masks and headdresses to resemble the Yeibichai.