Detail Photos

A wonderfully stark, primitive mask from Nepal's Eastern middle hills.  Originating in a shamano-animist context, with a distinctive long visage that has a simple but striking effect when displayed.  The fangs reveal this is a "chudel" or "mashan", which are demonic vampire like entities that sometimes come into conflict with humanity. This is a popular theme with the shamanic masks in the eastern middle hills.  We see the remnants of a moustache as well, though the hair is long gone now. The shape of the face is fantastic with the wood "wrapping" around the wearer's face, with its natural concave form. Condition is very good though the piece has advanced age, being from the early years of the 20th century.