Bowl (umeke la’au)

Culture: Hawaiian artist
Date: 20th century
Material: Wood
associated with: Hawaii, United States, Oceania
Classification: Containers, wood
Collection: Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
Current Location: On View, Gallery 108
Dimensions: 16 9/16 x 26 9/16 in. (42 x 67.5 cm)
Credit Line: Bequest of Morton D. May
Rights: Public Domain
Object Number: 1556:1983

NOTES

Gifts of food to allies or extended family punctuate the life of Polynesian communities. This vessel was used to prepare and present such offerings. Apart from the cooked meat of pigs, game, or fish, the most important food staple is coconut milk mixed with a puree of either breadfruit or taro, depending on the region. This large Hawaiian bowl demonstrates a simple but elegant form. Careful polishing reveals the veins of the wood, which are occasionally interrupted by dovetails the artist inlaid to repair naturally occurring splits.

Provenance

1933 -
Honolulu Academy of Arts, Honolulu, HI [1]

by 1980 - 1983
Morton D. May (1914-1983), St. Louis, MO [2]

1983 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, bequest of Morton D. May [3]

Notes:
[1] A note on the accession record identifies this object was "acquired by the Honolulu Academy of Arts in 1933" [SLAM document files].

[2] This object was in the collection of Morton D. May when it arrived on loan to the Museum in 1980 [1980.836 loan agreement form, SLAM document files].

[3] Last Will and Testament of M. D. May dated June 11, 1982 [copy, May Archives, Saint Louis Art Museum]. Minutes of the Acquisitions and Loans Committee of the Board of Trustees, Saint Louis Art Museum, September 20, 1983.

We regularly update records, which may be incomplete. If you have additional information, please contact us at provenance@slam.org.