Native American, Pacific Northwest Coast, Tlingit, ca. late 20th to 21st century CE. A stunning wooden mask expertly hand-carved and painted by the Tlingit artist Rich LaValle. Embellished with painted red and black pigments, this striking visage displays a naturalistic old man's face, saggy, wrinkled skin, and deep brows. The slightly open mouth displays his teeth, and his thick, exaggeratedly protruding lower lip is adorned with an iridescent abalone shell inlay along its top. His protruding ears are pierced and strung with dangling copper sheets, cut and painted as stylized bears. Lengthy strands of horsehair flow from the top of the mask and are inserted via petite, annular drill holes along the top periphery of the forehead. Drilled openings just above the eyes and through the nostrils and mouth allow the mask wearer to see through. Size: 11.25" L x 8.75" W (28.6 cm x 22.2 cm)
Rich LaValle has been a Tlingit wood carver since 2000, though he was not born into the Tlingit culture. He began weaving Pacific Northwest style textiles before beginning his craft as a wood-turner upon moving with his wife to Portland, Oregon, and was approached directly by members of the Tlingit tribe to carve Tlingit masks. Rich and his wife were then formally adopted into the Tlingit tribe in the year 2000. His Tlingit name is "Kut Daa Jaa Gu," and his wife's Tlingit name is "Shawat Googh." Rich is known throughout the Pacific Northwest Coast for his fine craftsmanship of traditional Tlingit face masks, rattles, hat fronts, and textiles.
This piece has been searched against the Art Loss Register database and has been cleared. The Art Loss Register maintains the world's largest database of stolen art, collectibles, and antiques.
Provenance: private Alamo collection, Alamo, California, USA, before 2000
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#167563
Condition
Surface wear and scratches to the wood. Nicks and chips to high pointed areas. Intact. Not signed. Suspension filament wire added to verso for suspension.