Pre-contact Stone-Carved Upper Keram River Mask-New Guinea Art
I hope that you can all appreciate this small Keram River flute mask being stone-carved and pre-contact NOT just from the highly weathered surface. Surface quality is one of the least important factors in judging age. Most importantly is style and nature of carving. This small mask has a clear, simple unadorned expression that still communicates from the depth of its original carving—notwithstanding its weathering and loss of much of the pigments. Look at the deep-set eyes, large pierced nasal septum and somber raised lips. The mask is ex. Peter Hallinan and ex. Elizabeth Pryce Collection, dates to the late 19th century and is 10 1/8” (25.5 cm) in height.