Inuit Spirit Mask By S. Swan

Late 20th Century

15.5" H x 15" W x 2" D

Beautifully Carved Polished Portrait Mask in Center with Ivory and Baleen Inlaid Eyes with Baleen, Bone, Ivory and Feathers with Hands, Bear, Whales, Seal, Whale Tales and Feathers on the Hoop

In Very Good Condition

S. Swan is the artist credited with creating the late 20th-century Inuit Spirit Mask (also referred to as a Yup'ik-influenced Alaskan Native spirit mask).

Inuit spirit masks represent the interconnectedness of the natural and spiritual worlds, used by shamans in rituals to communicate with spirits, heal the sick, and ensure good hunting, often featuring symbolic animal forms or transformed human/animal features. These masks are typically carved from wood or ivory and decorated with hair, feathers, and paint, with the Yup'ik culture in particular known for their complex and dynamic mask traditions.