Nepal: An old Shaman mask from the ‘Middle Hills’, the southern foothills of the Himalayas.
Nepal: An old Shaman mask from the ‘Middle Hills’, the southern foothills of the Himalayas.
In the valleys and foothills on the southern slopes of the Himalayas, within the region of the so-called ‘Middle Hills’ in Nepal, there are tribes where belief in ancient ‘pre-Buddhist’ shamanism is still prevalent to this day. These tribes, such as the Tamang, Magar, Gurung and others, which are native to the northern and western part of the central Kathmandu valley, have a long-standing mask tradition. Their shamans and special dancers perform at ceremonies, theatrical performances and dances wearing masks and costumes. Their masks appear simpler, seemingly more ‘primitive’ than the large, colourful masks used for the Buddhist-Lamaist ‘cham dances’ in the Buddhist monasteries and temples of Nepal. These masks of the Shamanist tribes are smaller, yet alluring in their straightforward simplicity and are called ‘Middle-Hills-masks’.
The present 'Middle-Hills-mask' is carved from lightweight, but hard wood. It displays cracks as well as heavy, age-related erosion on the front side (probably exacerbated through earlier long-term improper storage of the object).
First third of the 20th century; H: 29 cm. (ME)
Provenance: German Private Collection.
Specialist: Erwin Melchardt
Erwin Melchardt
+43-1-515 60-465
erwin.melchardt@dorotheum.at
26.05.2015 - 15:00
- Realized price: **
-
EUR 1,000.-
- Estimate:
-
EUR 1,600.- to EUR 1,800.-
Nepal: An old Shaman mask from the ‘Middle Hills’, the southern foothills of the Himalayas.
In the valleys and foothills on the southern slopes of the Himalayas, within the region of the so-called ‘Middle Hills’ in Nepal, there are tribes where belief in ancient ‘pre-Buddhist’ shamanism is still prevalent to this day. These tribes, such as the Tamang, Magar, Gurung and others, which are native to the northern and western part of the central Kathmandu valley, have a long-standing mask tradition. Their shamans and special dancers perform at ceremonies, theatrical performances and dances wearing masks and costumes. Their masks appear simpler, seemingly more ‘primitive’ than the large, colourful masks used for the Buddhist-Lamaist ‘cham dances’ in the Buddhist monasteries and temples of Nepal. These masks of the Shamanist tribes are smaller, yet alluring in their straightforward simplicity and are called ‘Middle-Hills-masks’.
The present 'Middle-Hills-mask' is carved from lightweight, but hard wood. It displays cracks as well as heavy, age-related erosion on the front side (probably exacerbated through earlier long-term improper storage of the object).
First third of the 20th century; H: 29 cm. (ME)
Provenance: German Private Collection.
Specialist: Erwin Melchardt
Erwin Melchardt
+43-1-515 60-465
erwin.melchardt@dorotheum.at
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| Auction: | Tribal Art |
| Auction type: | Saleroom auction |
| Date: | 26.05.2015 - 15:00 |
| Location: | Vienna | Palais Dorotheum |
| Exhibition: | 20.05. - 26.05.2015 |
** Purchase price incl. buyer's premium and VAT
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