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MILLON
241
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Two-faced helmet mask. Woven basketry, vegetable fibres, rem…
See original version (French)
241
-
Two-faced helmet mask. Woven basketry, vegetable fibres, rem…
See original version (French)
Estimate €500 - €700
Voluntary lot
Description
Two-faced helmet mask.
Woven basketry, vegetable fibres, remains of natural pigments, marks of time.
Middle Sepik (Kapriman region), Papua New Guinea.
103 x 54 cm
This type of wickerwork mask belongs to the traditions of the Middle Sepik, where helmet-shaped forms are used for initiation rituals and performances in ceremonial houses. Worn during initiation performances, it transforms the dancer into an ancestral entity.
The double figuration reinforces the idea of presence and multiple perception, while the woven, covered and modelled structure testifies to the know-how specific to Kapriman groups. These masks play a part in the ritual display of power and the transmission of knowledge within Sepik societies.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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