75 - Mask

Mask with clean lines, accented by a carved cartouche in the center of the forehead. Hardwood, original brown patina, signs of internal wear, yak skin, local restoration with an iron clasp. Central Hills, Nepal. H. 36 × W. 19 cm. Provenance: Formerly in the collection of François Pannier, Paris. Publication: - Masques de l'Himalaya, Findakly Éditions – Galerie Le Toit du Monde, Paris, 2007 – no. 68, p. 111. - Éric Chazot, Liliane and Michel Durand-Dessert, *Himalayas – Art & Shamans*, Paris, LMDD, 2009, Volume I, no. 16. Exhibition: - City Hall of the 6th arrondissement, Paris, 2007. - Museum of Asian Arts, Toulon, April–August 2008. The carved cartouche at the center of the forehead is a relatively rare iconographic element in Himalayan masks. Placed at the traditional location of the third eye, it likely refers to symbolism linked to the perception of the invisible world, a recurring theme in the shamanic and animistic traditions of the Himalayas.