Mosquito mask "parak"
Papua New Guinea - Sepik Delta
sold
EUR 3,500
Provenance
collected by US marine (1950’s)Ulrich Kortmann, Dortmund, Germany
Size
H: 48,5 cm
H: 19.1 inch
Description
wood, dark brown patina, black paint, red and white pigment, striking long nose with pointed tip, a concave vaulted facial plane with slanting see slits, incised letters on the forehead “Baltasary”, remains of painting, dam., abrasion of paint, possibly rest. (nose), metal base;
the nose is a reference to a male mythical spirit called “parak”, which is closely involved in the initiation ceremonies of the young-men-to-be and in hunting. As such, the “parak” is thought to reveal the game to the hunter while concealing it from strangers.