very long, curved-under nose; large upward-slanting black eyes with perforated holes; smiling white mouth with small opening; small "knobs" represent beard; white bird on forehead; high-set ears with two piercings each; red patina on face; brown at top of head; ovoid shape overall

Mask, 1920s-1930s

Unknown artist, Papua New Guineaexpand_more

Wood, pigments, plant fibersexpand_more

Gift of funds from Jack and Connie Wallinga and the Paul C. Johnson, Jr. Fundexpand_more  2008.68

Not on Viewexpand_more

This mask, with its deep set eyes and strong, hooked nose, is the embodiment of an ancestor spirit from Manam Island, located at the mouth of the Ramu River just off the northern coast of New Guinea. It used to be adorned with shell jewelry in its pierced ears and nose, demonstrating respect for the ancestor. Worn as part of a larger fiber costume, the mask was held in front of the face with a bite stick, still present on this example, which was clamped in the wearer's teeth.

file_downloadprintshare
arrow_back back
Details
Title
Mask
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2008.68
Curator Approved

This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know

800px

Zoom in on the left to the detail you'd like to save. Click 'Save detail' and wait until the image updates. Right click the image to 'save image as' or copy link, or click the image to open in a new tab.

very long, curved-under nose; large upward-slanting black eyes with perforated holes; smiling white mouth with small opening; small "knobs" represent beard; white bird on forehead; high-set ears with two piercings each; red patina on face; brown at top of head; ovoid shape overall

Error loading high resolution image. Report this problem.