Northwest Coast Indian Tribe Masks

by Science Source

Title

Northwest Coast Indian Tribe Masks

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Science Source

Medium

Painting - Photograph

Description

The indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest are well known for their ceremonial masks. The masks are made from wood, primarily cedar and occasionally maple, which is then painted with three primary colors black or blue, red, and white. Masks represent the animals and creatures of the four dimensions of the cosmos the Sky World, the Mortal World, the Undersea World, and the Spirit World. When used in ceremonies, the masks take on the life and spirit of the spirits which they represent. Traditionally, masks were guarded and hidden away, and not shown until they appeared in the ceremonial dance. Paul Kane (September 3, 1810 - February 20, 1871) was an Irish-born Canadian painter famous for his paintings of First Nations peoples in the Canadian West and in the Columbia District. A self-educated artist, Kane trained himself by copying European masters on a study trip through Europe. The first trip (1845) took him from Toronto to Sault Ste. Marie and back. He set out on a second voyage (1846-48) from Toronto across the Rocky Mountains to Fort Vancouver and Fort Victoria. Kane produced more than 100 oil paintings, although he often embellished them, departing from the accuracy of his field sketches in favor of more dramatic scenes.

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July 31st, 2019

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