Himalaya | Nepal
Mask – Himalaya
Nepal
Face mask
Magar, Nepal
19th century or earlier
Carved wood with soot patina
Height: 27 cm – 10 ½ in.
Provenance
Collection Jon Sait
Collection Frédéric Rond, Paris
Publication
“Les Visages de l’Himalaya”, January 2024, plate 36
Magar Nepal mask 27 cm / Galerie Flak
Price on request
Masks from Nepal’s Middle Hills and the regions bordering the Himalayas reveal an iconographic diversity steeped in strength and mystery. By the early 20th century, the original purposes of these masks had already faded from memory. Were they representations of ancestors, demons, or mythological figures? The possibilities remain as boundless as the imagination. Their connection to shamanism remains speculative, and their precise ceremonial functions continue to elude us.
These masks serve as tangible witnesses to the intricate web of human, spiritual, and artistic exchanges that have shaped the Himalayas, a crossroads between China and the Indian subcontinent.
Over the centuries, Buddhism, Hinduism, and animist cultures have all left their imprint weaving myths, magico-religious practices, and theatrical elements into the iconography of these masks.
These masks serve as tangible witnesses to the intricate web of human, spiritual, and artistic exchanges that have shaped the Himalayas, a crossroads between China and the Indian subcontinent.
Over the centuries, Buddhism, Hinduism, and animist cultures have all left their imprint weaving myths, magico-religious practices, and theatrical elements into the iconography of these masks.
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