On the Northwest Coast of North America powerful families (or clans) have long been art patrons.  This is, they have hired artists to make special objects for them, like this Haida chief's rattle.

Haida family crest poles show animals associated with particular clans.  This pole shows a whale, bear, fish, and another bear with a fish in his mouth.

Zoom in to look for the animals.

This sun mask was made by a Kwatiutl artist.

Even such an everyday object as this Haida comb was carved with a face.

A Tsimshian artist made this mask that combines the faces of a hawk and a person.

Modern Northwest Coast Native American artists still make traditional masks like this one.  At clan feasts a dancer wearing the mask pulls cords to open up the pointed mask of a bird to reveal the person mask hidden inside.

A modern Haida artist named Freda Diesing made this print showing an eagle.

Objects made by artists for the wealthy families of Europe in the 1600s, 1700s, and 1800s have a different look.

Click on "More Info" to learn more about each piece.

This carved chaie was made for a powerful Asante person in Africa.

This very fancy belt with many beaded attachments was made for a person of the Kuba people also of Africa.