Behind the mask
19th February 2023
Over the past few years, mask-wearing has been variously seen as a medical necessity or a social nicety, but in pre-Hispanic cultures masks were worn to conceal the soul and appearance of the individual to make it easier for them to communicate with the supernatural.
A large number of masks from Mexico, Africa and Indonesia that recall these traditions are coming up for auction in Salisbury as part of several private collections.
“A lot of masks started life as ritualistic objects and were used in traditional dances and performances as story-telling devices,” explained Will Hobbs of Woolley and Wallis, where the masks are being auctioned. “As well as being colourful and elaborate, they can dehumanise the wearer, making the dance or performance more powerful for the viewer.”
Among those due to be sold on 22nd February are a large Kayan Dayak Hudoq mask from Borneo with mirrored eyes and a hornbill feather headdress. From a collection on the East Coast of America, it is expected to fetch in the region of £3,000-4,000. A Fang mask from the Gabon region of Africa comes from a French private collection and could fetch up to £3,000.
Not all of the offerings come with such high price tags – several group lots of Mexican animal masks from the collection of the artist, Romy Rey, are estimated for smaller pockets around £200-300.
“There is great variety in this area of collecting and a real fascination among serious and decorative collectors alike,” continued Hobbs. “Like Italian theatre masks, the more readily available examples make great art displays on walls and are sought-after by interior designers; while the rarities tend to be bought by people with a deeper understanding and appreciation of individual tribes or regions and the rituals or ceremonies the masks were used in.”
As well as further items from the Romy Rey collection, the auction on 22nd February includes further textiles from the Virginia Bond Korda Collection. Hand-woven fabrics from across Africa, Indonesia, India, Thailand and Vietnam have filled the saleroom with a riot of colour. Other highlights include a group of five Afo currencies from Nigeria, a Paraguay club acquired in the 19th century, and a 12ft wide Niue Island barkcloth from Polynesia.
