PAIR OF HUON GULF DANCE MASKS, TAGO
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Estimate: £1,500 - £2,500
Auction: 13 March 2025 from 13:00 GMT
Description
painted tapa over a wood frame, each with a flat, white face, raised nose, eyes and mouth framed by red and black stripes, raised on bespoke mounts (2)
Dimensions
largest 58cm tall
Provenance
Acquired on the UK art market and forming part of a private collection established over the past thirty years
Footnote
The present pair of masks belong to a corpus of works that represent the Tago spirits, whose mythological origins are closely tied to the creation of Tami Island. Each clan on the island held a copy of these masks. The Tago spirits would appear in a cyclical pattern, every 10 or 12 years. During the year of the Tago ceremonies, peace would be enforced across the island, with all conflicts suspended until the ceremonies concluded. Once the ceremonies ended, the masks were returned to their special houses within the forest.