Male spirit mask "parak" ("barak" / "brag")
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Lot: 25
Male spirit mask "parak" ("barak" / "brag")
Papua New Guinea - Coastal Sepik region
| Provenance | Size | Hammer price |
|---|---|---|
| Günther Markert, Munich, Germany Ludwig Bretschneider, Munich, Germany Munich Private Collection |
H: 17.7 inch | sold |
wood, pigments, collection label "67/d", rest.
A stylistically and formally very similar mask is published by Meyer, Vol. I, 1995, p. 185, fig. 189. According to Meyer the "parak" spirit is closely involved in the initiation ceremonies of the young-men-to-be and in hunting. The "parak" is thought to reveal the game to the hunter while concealing it from strangers.
Meyer, Anthony J.P., Ozeanische Kunst, Vol. I, Köln 1995, p. 185, Abb. 189
