Images(4)

Portrait Mask w/ animal on top

DateC. 1879

Mediumwood, metal, mammal skin, dentalium shell, cotton

DimensionsOther: 23 × 40 × 31 cm (9 1/16 × 15 3/4 × 12 3/16 in.)
Other: 17 × 38 × 43 cm (6 11/16 × 14 15/16 × 16 15/16 in.)

ClassificationsCeremonial Objects

Terms

Paper Field ReferencesCMH VII-B-21(1&2)

Object numberHRC 00021

DescriptionMan's face with animal. wooden mask, carved and painted. corners of mouth downturned. face background black. red cross-hatching lines over right eye area and right side area of mouth; red dash lines over forehead and left side of mask. ears carved realistically and painted red as are mouth and nostrils. white outlines. beaver on top of mask. head of animal made from wood covered with partly dehaired skin. long teeth of wood. mouth painted red, eyes black and white. body made from splints, wood and thickmetal wire, covered with partly dehaired skin. large border wide around body, made also of partly dehaired skin with a row dentailia on the other edge. small skin thongs and small pieces of red cloth sewn between dentalia. small pointed tail. all sewing with white cottons tring. large band of leather nailed at back of mask on both sides. three long pieces of thick metal wire, one inserted in underside of the animal's head, the other two passing through corners of base of mask. pieces of wood attached to other ends of metal wires. animal manipulated by one of those metal wires and by cords. two small carved pieces of wood attached to cords.
bear headdress resembling hat or helmet; appears to be part missing from top (duplicate with mask VII-B-21(1) which has no documentation
description in 'Haida Art' - a dance mask with a moveable attachment of a white squirrel on top. the style is markedly Tsimshian, including the dashed and crosshatched zones on the face, as well as the white squirrel crest. masks like this one were probably acquired by the Haida in trade at Fort Simpson.
Published References'Haida Art' - George MacDonald, page 82

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