Shaman mask

This Inupiaq mask features almond-shaped eyes and a triangular nose on a slightly convex face.

In Inuit culture, the masks were used by an Angakok shaman , the only member of the community considered to have sufficient power to control the spirits of nature. The masks enabled him to communicate with the spirits and understand their needs, in order to give recommendations on how to appease them. The shaman’s advice often emphasized a carefully observed code of conduct that preserved a positive relationship with the spirits, on which the goodwill of the community depended.

The softness of the features and the serenity of the squinted eyes “suggest that this mask represents a spirit, not a human being” (Ray, Eskimo Masks, Art and Ceremony, p.198).

Price: €9,500