Archives | Nepal
Mask – Himalaya
Nepal
Face mask
Western Nepal
19th century or earlier
Carved wood
Height: 30 cm – 11 ¾ in.
Provenance
Gros & Delettrez, Paris, May 26, 2003, lot 115
Collection Bruno Gay, Paris
Collection Indian Heritage, Paris
Publication
“Masques de l’Himalaya”, Editions Findakly, 2007
“Les Visages de l’Himalaya”, Alain Bovis, Frédéric Rond, January 2024, plate 39
Exhibition
“Masques & Arts tribaux himalayens”, Salon du Vieux Colombier, Paris 6th City Hall, Paris, Nov. 2007
“Les Visages de l’Himalaya”, Crous de Paris, April 2024
Sold
Masks from Nepal’s Middle Hills and the regions bordering the Himalayas reveal an iconographic diversity steeped in strength and mystery. By the early 20th century, the original purposes of these masks had already faded from memory. Were they representations of ancestors, demons, or mythological figures? The possibilities remain as boundless as the imagination. Their connection to shamanism remains speculative, and their precise ceremonial functions continue to elude us.
These masks serve as tangible witnesses to the intricate web of human, spiritual, and artistic exchanges that have shaped the Himalayas, a crossroads between China and the Indian subcontinent.
Over the centuries, Buddhism, Hinduism, and animist cultures have all left their imprint weaving myths, magico-religious practices, and theatrical elements into the iconography of these masks.
These masks serve as tangible witnesses to the intricate web of human, spiritual, and artistic exchanges that have shaped the Himalayas, a crossroads between China and the Indian subcontinent.
Over the centuries, Buddhism, Hinduism, and animist cultures have all left their imprint weaving myths, magico-religious practices, and theatrical elements into the iconography of these masks.
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