The paint is blue, red, and black.

Moon mother mask. A large face protrudes from the centre of a convex oval of wood, with a smaller face both above the forehead and below the chin. Central face has prominent black brows and round, black, staring pupils to either side of a carved vertical ridge. Nose has flared red nostrils, above a wide red mouth with a circular labret in an extended lower lip. The smaller faces are nearly identical but with less carved detail and no labret. The bottom face is upside down. Each has several plugs of long brown hair at top of head. The surrounding oval is painted along its edge with black, red and blue-green stripes, with evenly place inset squares of abalone shell. The back of the mask is concave with chamois ties.

Large wooden bowl. Long and narrow, carved from rosewood, with thick walls, and a wide base that is concave on the underside. Ebony wood is inset along the outer rim in a line of diamond and triangle shapes, below which are carved the outline of birds in a linear design. On one end of the bowl sits a large sculptural element showing a shark transforming from its human shape. The figure of a man emerges from below, with large head, flat jaw, heavy brow and shell eyes, and is backed by swirls and circular designs. On the opposite side of the bowl is an eagle, wings angled behind the head to rest on the edge of the bowl, beak in contact with the upraised tail of a fish whose head supports the bird’s belly. Abalone is used for the creatures’ eyes, and in a repeating motif along the lip of the bowl.

CHIEFLY FEASTS: THE ART OF THE POTLATCH. FREED, STANLEY A., 1997, Publisher: POMEGRANATE CHIEFLY FEASTS: THE ENDURING KWAKIUTL POTLACH. JONAITIS, ALDONA EXHIBITION CATALOG, 1991 FROM THE LAND OF THE TOTEM POLES. JONAITIS, ALDONA, 1988

The Elizabeth Cole Butler Collection.

Gift of Ann Copeland.

Museum Purchase: Funds provided by an anonymous donor.

Axel Rasmussen Collection. Collected: Axel Rasmussen

The Elizabeth Cole Butler Collection.