Malagan Mask With Bird on Head
- Culture
- northern New Ireland artist
- Date
- late 19th to early 20th century
- Material
- Wood, indigenous paints, red ochre, bark cloth, coconut and other fibers, rattan, and shell
- Classification
- Costume & clothing, sculpture
- Collection
- Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
- Current Location
- Not on view
- Dimensions
- 27 9/16 x 9 7/16 x 13 in. (70 x 24 x 33 cm)
- Credit Line
- Gift of Morton D. May
- Rights
- Public Domain
- Object Number
- 176:1975a-d
NOTES
Masks were used for many purposes in northern New Ireland. Sacred masks were used in ritual ceremonies. Other masks, such as this one, were used in more public ceremonies associated with malagan rituals and would be worn by men acting out a drama or play. We know of two other masks with a very similar design to this one, and it is quite likely that this mask was created as part of that group, perhaps with many other masks, to act the role of a flock of pigeons, danced by humans.
Provenance
- 1968
Rugs and Decorative Accessories, Inc., New York, NY, USA
1968 - 1975
Morton D. May (1914-1983), St. Louis, MO, purchased from Rugs and Decorative Accessories, Inc. [1]
1975 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, given by Morton D. May [2]
Notes:
[1] An invoice dated June 30, 1968 from Rugs and Decorative Accessories, Inc. to Morton D. May documents the purchase of this object, listed as "10526 New Ireland Mask" [May Archives, Saint Louis Art Museum].
[2] A letter dated August 14, 1975 from Morton D. May to Mary-Edgar Patton, acting director of the Saint Louis Art Museum, includes the offer of this object as part of a larger donation [SLAM document files]. Minutes of the Acquisitions Committee of the Board of Trustees, Saint Louis Art Museum, November 6, 1975.
Rugs and Decorative Accessories, Inc., New York, NY, USA
1968 - 1975
Morton D. May (1914-1983), St. Louis, MO, purchased from Rugs and Decorative Accessories, Inc. [1]
1975 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, given by Morton D. May [2]
Notes:
[1] An invoice dated June 30, 1968 from Rugs and Decorative Accessories, Inc. to Morton D. May documents the purchase of this object, listed as "10526 New Ireland Mask" [May Archives, Saint Louis Art Museum].
[2] A letter dated August 14, 1975 from Morton D. May to Mary-Edgar Patton, acting director of the Saint Louis Art Museum, includes the offer of this object as part of a larger donation [SLAM document files]. Minutes of the Acquisitions Committee of the Board of Trustees, Saint Louis Art Museum, November 6, 1975.
We regularly update records, which may be incomplete. If you have additional information, please contact us at provenance@slam.org.