Description:

Alex Hunt (First Nations / Canadian, Fort Rupert, Kwakwaka'wakw or Kwakiutl, 20th century). "Man from Sea" wooden mask, June 1985. Signed with title, date, culture, and location on verso. A wonderful wooden mask, hand-carved by Kwakwaka'wakw artist Alex Hunt and titled "Man from Sea." Though the title claims likeness to a man, the mask appears more zoomorphic, displaying the big round eyes, flared nostrils, and prominent buck teeth of a beaver. A large, arching unibrow sits atop the face, and all is delineated in red and black pigment. Also known as Pukwis or Pugwis, the "Man from the Sea" is an undersea spirit in human form, a creature associated with the spirits of drowned victims, hence his name. Pugwis is believed to wander around the woods and approach humans to offer them ghostly food. Anyone foolish enough to eat it, however, will have their soul devoured by Pugwis and then turn into a Pugwis themselves. A haunting vizard entrenched in the style and tradition of the Northwest Coast! Size: 5.9" W x 6.8" H (15 cm x 17.3 cm)

Provenance: private Thornton, Colorado, USA collection

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#182045

  • Condition: Signed with title, date, culture, and location on verso. Some small nicks to surface and white pigment on periphery, but otherwise intact and excellent with nice remaining pigments and rich patina. Suspension wire on verso for easy display.

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December 14, 2023 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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