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artist
Mask, 19th century
Marine turtle shell, wood, trade cloth, human hair, feathers - cassowary, shell - mussel - cowrie, beeswax, seedpods, fiber, pigment - red, white -lime
24 7/16 x 24 7/16 x 19 11/16 in.
Gift of Marcia and John Friede 2001.62.11

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Artist Biography: (none) PROVENANCE: Collected by Rev. Samuel MacFarlane; Gerrard's auction 1887. "Collected by Samuel MacFarlane, of the London Missionary Society; Gerrard's auction, 1886; Staatlichen Museums für Völkerkunde, Dresden, 6.396 (before 1889)." (Catalog #502, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 170.) EXHIBITIONS: 2005 - New Guinea Art. Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede. De Young Museum, San Francisco, 2005. PUBLICATIONS: 2009 FAM Bulletin entry (unabridged) - "This extraordinary mask comes from Mabuiag Island, one of more than 100 islands situated in the Torres Strait. The Strait, a narrow channel of sea that lies between the island of New Guinea and Australia, is named after the first European explorer in the region, Spanish navigator Luis Vaez de Torres. A sculptural tour de force, the mask is made of many pieces of turtle shell that have been heated, incised, bent, cut and then sewn and glued together creating a face and surrounding framework for the rich array of other decorative elements that have been attached. Turtle shell masks of the Torres Strait are unique in the world. This type represented important ancestors, mythological or supernatural beings and is reported to have been worn during funerary ceremonies. The mask was positioned on top of the head and a costume concealed the body of the wearer. Douglas Fraser writes that, “masks played central roles in Torres Straits culture in a variety of ceremonies having to do with the increase and continuation of food supply, the commemoration of ancestors and spirit-beings and the induction of young men into adult life….The successful discharge of these important economic, religious and social functions depended in no small degree upon the emphasis laid on the mask in the Torres Strait. (1) In 1871, the London Missionary Society led by Reverend Samuel MacFarlane established a mission on Erub (Darnley Island) in the Torres Strait. The missionaries forbade the production and use of turtle shell masks and this had a profound effect on the survival of masks and other objects. However, MacFarlane acquired this mask and preserved it." FOOTNOTES (1) Fraser, Douglas Ferrar, Torres Straits Sculpture: A Study in Oceanic Primitive Art (NY & London: Garland Publishing, 1978) , 31-32. 2005 - "This mask was worn in mortuary ceremonies (see also pl. 485). The projecting lower front of the mask has been damaged and the extension of the jaws may be missing. Haddon had originally thought the "Greek Key" meander on the forehead of this mask was an introduced (European) motif. Later, he found it on Daudai (Fly River coast) bark belts and regarded "this design as being indigenous" (Haddon, 1894: 63)." (Catalog #502, New Guinea Art: Masterpieces from the Jolika Collection of Marcia and John Friede, 2005, Volume 2, p. 170.) 2002 - Berrin, 2002, cover. 1981 - Bodrogi, 1981, vol. 1, pl. 110. 1978 - Fraser, 1978, pl. 11. 1889 - Meyer, 1889, pl. II.

Related Keywords
Mask Gift 170 p 2 Volume 2005 Friede John Marcia Jolika Masterpieces Art Guinea New 502 Catalog 1889 396 6 Dresden V*lkerkunde fŸr Museums Staatlichen 1886 Society Missionary London 1887 auction Gerrard's MacFarlane Samuel Rev by Collected Oceania Strait Torres Australia object Ritual lime white red pigment fiber seedpods beeswax cowrie mussel cassowary feathers hair human cloth trade wood Marine ceremonies funerary during worn been reported beings supernatural mythological ancestors important represented type This attachments decorative other array an framework surrounding face creating together glued sewn then cut bent incised heated shell turtle pieces Made 2002041714170014 A355934 2001.62.11 AOA