A Ceremonial Mask

A Ceremonial Mask
Wood
Pentecost Island, Vanuatu
Early 20th Century

Size: 32cm high, 11cm wide, 7.5cm deep - 12½ ins high, 4¼ ins wide, 3 ins deep

Provenance:
Ex Private collection (collected in the 1940’s)
Ex Wayne Heathcote Gallery
Ex Marcus Raccanello
Ex Kevin Conru, Brussels, Belgium
Ex Private English collection

Collected in the 1940’s, the mask was previously used during the most sacred and secretive ceremonies which had all but died out by the 1920’s. The ceremony performed by non-dancing participants was believed to have been conducted for the benefit of Yams and Humans.