Lot 105E
Oceania, Papua New Guinea, East Sepik, Abelam, early 20th century CE. An abstract woven mask that just barely suggests an anthropomorphic form, including round eyes, a curved, protruding nose, and a crest above the face forming the centerpiece of an elaborate headdress. The woven fibers are painted in shades of red, orange, and creamy white. This one and others like it were created for festivals surrounding the cherished yam, the crucial crop of the Abelam people of northeast Papua New Guinea. Custom stand. Size: 11" W x 15.5" H (27.9 cm x 39.4 cm); 16.625" H (42.2 cm) on included custom stand.
Masks like this example have traditionally been used to adorn the heads of huge tubers, rather than humans. Curious? Indeed, the Abelam cultivate massive yams in addition to the ordinary variety. These can be as much as 12 feet long. According to the curatorial department of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, "A mans social status is determined largely by his success in growing long yams. Each man has a permanent exchange partner to whom he ceremonially presents his largest yams following the annual harvest, later receiving those of his rival in return. Men who are consistently able to give their partners longer yams than they receive gain great prestige. Lavishly adorned for the presentation ceremony, the finest long yams are essentially transformed into human images, decorated in the manner of men in full ceremonial regalia." (http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/311328)
Provenance: ex-collection of the late Peter Arnovick, San Francisco, California, USA
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#125099
- Condition: Paint shows some wear and loss commensurate with age. Fibers of mask are in very good condition. Overall excellent.
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