Oceania, Papua New Guinea, East Sepik, Abelam, early 20th century CE. A hand-painted and finely woven vegetal fiber mask boasting a characteristically bold visage comprised of striking eyes with delineated irises and openwork three-pointed surrounds, raised openwork brows, a pronounced nose/beak, and an intricately woven hemispheric openwork crest, all adorned with ample red, black, and white surviving pigments. A strong example created for use in festivals surrounding the cherished yam, the crucial crop of the Abelam people who live in the Maprik district of northeast Papua New Guinea. Size: 17.5" L x 11.875" W x 19.25" H (44.4 cm x 30.2 cm x 48.9 cm)
The Abelam cultivate massive yams in addition to the ordinary variety. These can be as great as 12 feet long. According to the curatorial department of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, "A man's 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."
Provenance: private Tucson, Arizona, USA collection, acquired between 1950 and 1985
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#148013
Condition
Expected age wear with some abrasions and minute tears, areas of loose/missing fibers, and some fading to pigmentation, though much has survived. Crest shows some bending. A bit of separation between the wooden ring around the base and the woven fiber, but the mask is still secure.