Mask Item Number: A8367 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Large round mask with high relief face and features. Round eyes, opened mouth. Tear drops from the eyes. Painted in "Bella Coola blue", ochre, red and black. The edges have holes and are unpainted, where it used to attach behind a large round wooden corona.
History Of Use
Sun mask; Sinxolatla is one of the names for the Nuxalk sun, who is a supernatural being.
Narrative
Purchased from Davenport Clayton in 1959. Collected by his parents while operating a store in Bella Coola between 1890 and 1910. Previously thought to be a moon mask, however, recently this mask was discovered to have once had a large, round corona attached to it, so it is most likely a sun mask. Harlan I. Smith photographed the corona attached to this mask in the 1920s. The corona is now in the collection of the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) with a different mask inside. It is unknown how the original mask and corona became separated, but at some point a new mask was nailed into the centre of the corona and the original mask was sold by itself.
The corona was loaned to MOA in early 2012 so that the two pieces could be reunited in an exhibition in MOA's Multiversity galleries from April to September. The MOA mask will then be loaned out to the SAM in the fall of 2012 so the pieces may be exhibited together in Seattle, as well.
Item History
- Made in Bella Coola, British Columbia, Canada before 1910
- Collected between 1890 and 1910
- Owned by Davenport Clayton before 1959
- Owned by Campbell River & District Historical Society before April 17, 1963
- Received from Campbell River & District Historical Society (Seller) and H. R. MacMillan (Funding source) on April 17, 1963
What
- Name
- Mask
- Identification Number
- A8367
- Type of Item
- mask
- Material
- alder wood and paint
- Manufacturing Technique
- carved and painted
- Overall
- height 37.6 cm, width 37.1 cm, depth 19.4 cm
Who
- Culture
- Nuxalk
- Previous Owner
- Davenport Clayton and Campbell River & District Historical Society
- Received from
- Campbell River & District Historical Society (Seller) and H. R. MacMillan (Funding source)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Bella Coola, British Columbia, Canada
When
- Creation Date
- before 1910
- Collection Date
- between 1890 and 1910
- Ownership Date
- before 1959 and before April 17, 1963
- Acquisition Date
- on April 17, 1963
Other
- Condition
- fair
- Accession Number
- 0099/0008