Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 7

Oceanian Bamboo Mask with Long Hair from New Guinea

About the Item

Ceremonial mask from the Sepik River region of Papua New Guinea, associated with the dance traditions of the Eastern Highlands. Crafted from wood, cowrie shells, clay, pigment, and plant fibers, it reflects the symbolic and functional qualities of Melanesian ritual art. The mask is carved from lightweight wood, featuring a symmetrical face with a central nose, open mouth, and pierced eyes, allowing visibility for the wearer. Painted in black, white, and sienna tones, the surface design evokes the dual gaze often seen in regional ceremonial objects. Feathers and cowrie shells adorn the top, while a dense fringe of plant fibers extends downward, enhancing movement during performance. The reverse side reveals a woven structure, indicating it was intended to be worn over the entire head in danced rituals. In the context of Papua New Guinea's spiritual traditions, such masks are not portraits but representations of ancestral or guardian spirits. The dancer serves as a medium, connecting the physical and spiritual realms through performance. The age of this piece is undetermined. It may be a more recent creation, produced in accordance with traditional methods and ceremonial use.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 33 in (83.82 cm)Width: 13 in (33.02 cm)Depth: 12 in (30.48 cm)
  • Style:
    Primitive (In the Style Of)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1960s
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use.
  • Seller Location:
    Pasadena, CA
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU825844876142

More From This Seller

View All
African Tricolor Wall Mask
Located in Pasadena, CA
This mural mask takes the form of a stylized figure, possibly reflecting a dialogue between ritual function and aesthetic research. Carved in wood, its oblong shape evokes the vertic...
Category

Late 20th Century Kenyan Primitive Paintings

Materials

Wood

Bamboo Lounge Chair with Ottoman and Wingbacks
Located in Pasadena, CA
The bamboo lounge chair with ottoman and wingbacks is meticulously crafted from bamboo and cane, combining timeless sophistication with a modern twist. The chair's frame is made from sturdy bamboo, boasting sleek lines. Delicate cane secures the bottom of the legss and the joins between the back and the armrests. The rich hue of vibrant and warm red upholstery fabric...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs

Materials

Upholstery, Bamboo, Rattan

Modern Large White Lacquer Dresser with Long Black Handles
By Roger Rougier
Located in Pasadena, CA
This white lacquered dresser from the 1980s, reminiscent of the Roger Rougier style, boasts a unique feature: contrasting black handle accents adorning six stairs-stepped drawers . ...
Category

Late 20th Century American Modern Dressers

Materials

Wood

French Watercolor from "Coffee Cup or Saucer" Series by Isis Lully
By Isis Lully
Located in Pasadena, CA
This engaging watercolor by Isis Lily is part of her "coffee cup or saucer" series. Lully (b. Switzerland 1936) has spent most of her successful career in Pari...
Category

Late 20th Century French Paintings

Materials

Glass, Wood, Paper

"Ritual In Wood" Mid-Century African Wood Bust
Located in Pasadena, CA
This wooden sculpture embodies hyper-verticality, a hallmark of many African sculptural traditions. Its elongated form eschews anatomical realism, instead striving to evoke a presenc...
Category

Vintage 1950s Mozambican Primitive Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Walnut

Plaster Head Primitive Sculpture in the style of Easter Island Moai Sculpture
Located in Pasadena, CA
Inspired by the 380 A. D. Easter Island originals, this Plaster Head Sculpture showcases a fine example of primitive art, known to represent god...
Category

Late 20th Century Chilean Primitive Abstract Sculptures

Materials

Plaster

You May Also Like

Large Basketry Gable Mask from Papua New Guinea
Located in Highland, IN
A beautiful and large example of Oceanic art, this delightful woven mask would have been used on the gable of a middle Sepik meeting house. The wildly expressive form is accentuated ...
Category

Vintage 1940s Papua New Guinean Tribal Masks

Materials

Cane, Rattan, Wood

Fiber Polychrome Mask Yam Ancestor Papua New Guinea
Located in Atlanta, GA
A well preserved Yam Ancestor mask professionally presented on a museum quality acrylic display stand. The mask was a classic tribal art piece from Abela...
Category

Mid-20th Century Papua New Guinean Tribal Masks

Materials

Natural Fiber, Acrylic

Iatmul People "Mei" Mask Sepik River New Guinea
Located in Bridgeport, CT
A large and powerfully carved Ceremonial Mask from New Guinea. In mineral paints with Cowrie Shell Eyes. Collected in Kaminabit, Middle Sepik Region, Papua New Guinea. The Mei is t...
Category

20th Century Papua New Guinean Tribal Masks

Materials

Wood, Paint

Woven Painted Basketry Old Yam Mask with Sculptural Bird Face, Papua New Guinea
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Early woven painted basketry yam mask from Papua New Guinea. Bug eyed or bird faced mask with heavy incrustation from many years of use, a striking mask that ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Papua New Guinean Tribal Tribal Art

Materials

Organic Material

Large Woven Painted Basketry Wall Mask Blackwater Rivers, Papua New Guinea
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Large woven painted basketry wall mask created in Blackwater Rivers area, Papua New Guinea. With open expressive mouth and mask fringed with feathers, striking mask that easily hang...
Category

Mid-20th Century Papua New Guinean Tribal Tribal Art

Materials

Organic Material

Baga Altar Figure or Mask Guinea
Located in San Mateo, CA
Baga anok altar mask from Guinea. This is probably last quarter of the 20th century and made for the collector market. Large piece and great form.
Category

Late 20th Century Guinean Tribal Masks

Materials

Wood

Recently Viewed

View All