Lot 87A
Southeast Asia, Indonesia, northern Sumatra, Karo Batak, ca. 20th century CE. A rare and expressive wooden mask from the Karo Batak people of northern Sumatra, carved with a strikingly angular visage. The elongated face is defined by high cheekbones, a prominent nose, and a gaping mouth with individually carved teeth, features that heighten its unsettling and spectral presence. Small perforations pierce the pupils, once allowing the wearer's gaze to animate the mask in ritual performance. Among the Batak, masks such as this were employed in ceremonial contexts, most notably during funerary rites. Their primary function was to frighten and confuse the spirits of the deceased, preventing them from returning to the village to cause mischief among the living. The mask's raw geometry, its hollowed form, and its deeply patinated surface all contribute to its aura of mystery and ritual potency. Size: 5.6" L x 8.1" W x 11" H (14.2 cm x 20.6 cm x 27.9 cm); 16.3" H (41.4 cm) on included custom stand.
The Batak people maintained complex ancestral traditions that intertwined magic, performance, and cosmology. Masks of this type embodied both protective and liminal qualities, acting as barriers between the world of the living and that of restless spirits. Their rarity today is due to both the limited contexts of their use and the fragility of their material. Mounted on a modern display stand, this mask survives as a haunting testament to Batak ritual artistry and the community's negotiation with the unseen world.
Provenance: private Los Angeles, California, USA collection; ex-David Pusack collection
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#197354
- Condition: Some nicks, chips, and abrasions with peeling to pigment in areas, all commensurate with age. Otherwise, intact and very nice with light patina throughout.
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