Oceania, Papua New Guinea, Sepik River, Mindimbit, ca. early 20th century CE. An intriguing hand-carved wooden ancestor mask of an ovoid form with tiered finials at the top and bottom painted a rich shade of burnt sienna. Boasting a skillfully sculpted zigzag border, this stylized visage displays a pair of slanted, squinting, openwork eyes, a protruding nose that forms a loop to suspend ornaments, and a petite, smiling mouth. A prominent arched brow sits atop the visage, giving the eyes a deep-set appearance. Two decorative raised lines extend from the corners of the vizard's mouth to the edge of its cheeks, while an additional jagged vertical striation stretches from nose to the bottom of its chin. Size: 7.375" W x 25.75" H (18.7 cm x 65.4 cm)
Provenance: private northern California, USA Collection; ex-Leo Frortress collection, Hawaii, USA
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#153377
Condition
Petite nick on proper right side of chin. Expected surface wear commensurate with age. Otherwise, intact and excellent with impressive remaining pigment.