Finial Item Number: 3091/9 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Tall wood carving of three figures. A man sits on the rounded base, hands on widely spread knees, wearing a large mask on his head, the chin of which extends to his feet. It is painted white on brown with a long nose, bulging eyes, and a long pointed top. On the man’s shoulders stands a woman also wearing a mask, smaller and more delicately decorated. Both wear grass skirts and twisted fibre decoration around their limbs. Perched on her shoulders is a large bird with a massive rounded beak, it’s tail extending down the back of the carving. All figures have eyes made of shell.