Mudjekeewis - The West Wind

Paul Manship

1885-1966

Born in St. Paul, MN

Died in New York City, NY

1964

Bronze on marble base

6 3/8 x 6 x 6 inches

Bequest of Paul H. Manship

66.14.14

In a letter written to Ben Storey on January 27, 1965, Manship wrote: "I have recently made a sketch as the result of getting out a copy of Longfellow and re-reading a passage of Hiawatha. It is of the old grandfather, Mudjekeewis, the West Wind, who stole the sacred belt of Wampum from the neck of Mishe-Mokwa, the Great Bear of the Mountains--the bear is droopy coming out of hibernation and from a cloud comes the mighty Mudjekeewis to steal the belt--This works well in the sculptural composition which I have done at small size in wax and is now being translated into metal---but would it not be appropriate for your group to stand at heroic size over-looking the mighty river--from where the Indian Mounds rise?" (Source: Object File)

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