Box Cover - Good Sisters And Natives - Folk Art - North America - Quebec

Late 18th century Region: North America - Quebec This magnificent box lid is a fine example of North American Indigenous folk art, influenced by cultural exchanges between Indigenous communities and French missionaries, particularly religious sisters, who played a central role in the education and care of local populations. Oral tradition relates that this type of box, often oval and decorated with chiseled and gouged motifs, was made by Indigenous boarders during their stay in the teaching and health houses administered by religious congregations. These religious communities, mainly composed of nuns, taught artisanal skills to young Indigenous people, while transmitting certain decorative motifs borrowed from European folk art. This mixture of cultural influences allowed the diffusion of symbols that traveled throughout the French colonies in North America. The hand-carved motifs on this lid, such as rosettes and rouelles, are geometric symbols found in both Indigenous and European folk art. These motifs are often associated with the wheel of life and the connection between the different planes of existence. On either side, the trees of life, emblems of growth, strength, and the link between the earthly and spiritual worlds, recall the importance of Indigenous beliefs in representing the natural and spiritual worlds. This unique fusion of local and imported motifs illustrates the role of religious communities in the transmission of know-how and cultural interaction within the French colonies of Quebec. The well-preserved lid was part of a utilitarian box, likely intended to store precious or personal objects. Note: Some natural wear and minor losses, consistent with the age of the object, old paper traces on the inside of the lid, and a wax seal. Comparative iconography: Collection of the monastery of the General Hospital of Quebec Several boxes kept at the Augustines Monastery Dimensions: • Length: 33 cm • Height: 25 cm ALL DELIVERIES ARE MADE BY DHL EXPRESS ONLY!