mask
- Museum number
- Am1941,01.1
- Description
-
Deeply carved human face dance mask, of red cedar wood ?, in the form of Bookwus or Wild-man-of-the-woods. This is made from a deep block of wood, with interior excavated into an oval cavity to accommodate the face, cut away in a semi-circle at the top, with a depression to accommodate the dancer's nose. There are holes at the side for suspension, and at the top for cedar bark, feathers, or other attachments now missing. The front of the mask is carved with the face of a man with contorted pursed lips suitable for making a hooting noise. His cheeks are shown with three deep curved wrinkles. The eyes are deep domed concave depressions with circular holes pierce for the wearer's use. The hooked nose has carved and excavated nostrils painted dark red. The lips on the pointed mouth [with sharp corners carved inwards] are coloured with the same paint. The eyebrows are decorated with short strips of coarse brown and white fur, as might possibly come from a bear or a dog. The mask was once painted white.
- Production date
- 1840-1930
- Dimensions
-
Height: 24 centimetres
-
Width: 16 centimetres
-
Depth: 16 centimetres (without eyebrows)
- Curator's comments
- From acquisition notes "Nootka". // This is item 153 from the G.T. Emmons collection purchased by Beasley on 1/2/1934. During the "Depression" period, Beasley was offered material by American collectors who could not dispose of it in the USA. (JCK, 18/6/1996, plus new description etc.).
Register 1941:
cf W H Datl: Smithsonian Institute 3rd annual report
- Location
- Not on display
- Condition
- Good.
- Acquisition date
- 1941
- Department
- Africa, Oceania and the Americas
- Registration number
- Am1941,01.1