North America, Pacific Northwest Haida Polychrome Wood Mask, Circa 1905 -1915

An early 20th century traditional secret society polychrome wood mask: Made by the Haida peoples.  – Pacific Northwest Canada.

Wooden mask, carved from a dark wood with an excellent green, red and black patina. The impressive thick green stripe around the eyes and red and black marks on the chin look like tattoos.

Dimensions: 19.9 x 22.5 cm – 7.8 x 8.8 in.

Artwork is not available anymore! Sold – Thank you.

Provenances: Scollard collection, Calgary (?) via Private Seattle and Los Angeles collection, U.S.A

Notes:

Secret society dances used masks like this one to represent the wild spirits of the woods, the “gagiid”, and in potlatch performances, when they portrayed the spirit beings encountered by their ancestors.

This mask is from a period when the Haida mask tradition, which relates to their secret societies, was in decline because of the arrival of missionaries in the area in the 1870’s.

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