A Superb Old Lower Sepik River Mask East Sepik Province Papua New Guinea

This beautiful old Mask is from the Coastal or Lower Sepik River Area of the East Sepik Province in Papua New Guinea 

Powerful Brag masks like this example were only danced on rare occasions, including the initiation of young males and at times of scarce food and other village hardship. Each individual mask was known by a unique name and was danced by an initiated male concealed in a plant fiber costume covering the whole body of the dancer. The dancer becomes the powerful spirit for the time it is being danced. This finely carved mask with layers of ochre-painted decoration has left an encrusted patina over decades. This old and well-used Mask dates from the early 20th Century. The nose is carved to represent the concentric shell nose decorations that were worn by men in the 19th Century.

Provenance: The Todd Barlin Collection of Oceanic Art 

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