Mask temes

Estimated Value:

500 € - 800 €

Result:

incl. Premium and VAT

Description:

Melanesia, Vanuatu / New Hebrides, early 20th cent.
H. 21 cm
Ancestor mask modelled over a skull (mask: temes. Grotesque-looking facial features have been modelled on a human skull using a resin-clay mass (very dry and cracked). The eyes and cheeks are accentuated by inserted bone splinters, the chin is modelled by a row of inserted cowrie shells. The upper part of the skull is bare and has a dark patina (probably due to rubbing). Broad strokes can be recognised on the sides above the keys. Particularly striking is the long nose, which protrudes straight out of the field of vision and appears almost phallic. This expressive element is typical of Vanuatu art, which is highly individualised. Masks from neighbouring New Caledonia usually have strongly pronounced hooked noses and appear more uniform. The top of the skull is perforated so that it can be attached to a sculpture. The front of the head was probably covered with human hair. Inspired by the shädel masks, dance masks in the same style were also produced as dance jewellery. These are often provided with high attachments. Clay, rubber, shell, bone.
From an important German private collection, assembled from 1975 to 2002
The island territory of Vanuatu stretches over 1300 kilometres of the South Pacific. Vanuatu, formerly the New Hebrides, is a group of islands between Fiji and New Caledonia in Melanesia. The Süpacific island state of Vanuatu has been divided into six provinces since 1994. Around 245,000 people live on 83 islands, of which only 67 are inhabited. They speak 108 different languages, in addition to numerous dialects. The official language is Bislama, a mixture of English, Spanish and colloquial language. According to a study by the NEF (New Economy Foundation), "the happiest people in the world" live here in terms of satisfaction, life expectancy and interaction with the environment. Archaic cultures have been preserved on the islands, which are largely characterised by natural religions and ethnic groups that have preserved their original ways of life. Vanuatu also includes the Banks Islands and the Torres Islands. The islands of Vanuatu are located on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, the most geologically active zone on earth - Partly chipped, minor damages due to age
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