82 - Mask, possibly from the Sepik River region. Papua New Guinea, 20th century.

Mask, possibly from the Sepik River region. Papua New Guinea, 20th century. Carved wood. Measurements: 41 x 13.5 x 6 cm. Provenance: Estate of Ramon Martí Alsina and Ricard Martí Aguiló. Artistic and heritage collection originating in the legacy of Catalan painters Ramon Martí Alsina (1826–1894), a seminal figure of 19th-century Catalan Realism, and his son Ricard Martí Aguiló (1857–1935). Passed down and enriched across successive generations, the collection brings together works from the original holdings of both artists alongside acquisitions made by their descendants. Dedicated to preserving and recovering the family legacy, the descendants actively reacquired works by the painters as they entered the market, progressively expanding the collection to encompass paintings, sculptures, archaeological artifacts, and other items of artistic and historical significance. A carved wooden mask stylistically linked to the artistic traditions of the Sepik River region in Papua New Guinea, one of the major centers of sculpture production in Oceania. The piece stands out for its unique elongated, spindle-shaped form, featuring a face with schematic features, protruding eyes, a long nose, and a small mouth with slightly parted lips. Its surface is covered with a profuse decoration of curvilinear and concentric incisions, arranged rhythmically around the facial features, which accentuate the expressiveness and dynamism of the composition. In the cultures of the Sepik, woodcarving plays a fundamental role in artistic and ceremonial practices, especially in the representation of spirits and ancestors, whose symbolic presence is manifested through masks and ritual sculptures.