oceania | Papua New Guinea
Sepik Mask
Papua New Guinea
Brag mask
Sepik River
Papua New Guinea
Early 20t century or earlier
Carved wood and pigments
Height: 41 cm – 16 ¼ in.
Provenance
Collection Michael Hamson, California
Collection Marcel Nies
Collection Berry De Bruijn
Private collection, Belgium
Sepik Mask 41 cm / Galerie Flak
Price: on request
Masks were omnipresent in the art and culture of the Lower Sepik region. Of extremely variable sizes (from a few centimeters to more than a meter high), they offer a seemingly unlimited range of shapes and colors.
Generally known by the term brag or brag sebug, they represented powerful spirits. As indicated by Sir Michael Somare (“Sana“, 1975, p. 29), Brag spirits gave a man power to fight, power to make peace, power to change people's minds, and power to attract women. They would weaken one's enemy, confuse his mind and make him vulnerable.
Generally known by the term brag or brag sebug, they represented powerful spirits. As indicated by Sir Michael Somare (“Sana“, 1975, p. 29), Brag spirits gave a man power to fight, power to make peace, power to change people's minds, and power to attract women. They would weaken one's enemy, confuse his mind and make him vulnerable.
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