Tickets
English
DonateMembershipTickets

Krar (mask)

mid to late 19th century
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 353
The unique turtle-shell masks of the Torres Strait Islands that lie between Australia and New Guinea are among the most striking works of Oceanic art. Attributed to Mabuiag Island, this work displays the composite human and animal imagery typical of western Torres Strait masks.
Turtle-shell masks in the Western Torres Strait reportedly were used during funerary ceremonies and increase rites, designed to ensure bountiful harvests and an abundance of fish and game. The ceremonies often involved performances in which senior men, wearing the masks and rustling costumes of grass, reenacted events from the lives of culture-heroes, which were drawn from oral tradition. Worn over the head like a helmet, this work depicts a human face, possibly representing once such culture-hero. It is surmounted by a frigate bird, perhaps representing his personal totem.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Krar (mask)
  • Artist: Mabuiag Island artist
  • Date: mid to late 19th century
  • Geography: Australia, Mabuiag Island, Queensland, Torres Strait
  • Culture: Torres Strait Islander
  • Medium: Turtle shell, wood, cassowary feathers, fiber, resin, shell, paint
  • Dimensions: H. 21 1/2 x W. 25 x D. 22 3/4 in. (54.6 x 63.5 x 57.8 cm)
  • Classification: Costumes
  • Credit Line: The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Purchase, Nelson A. Rockefeller Gift, 1967
  • Object Number: 1978.412.1510
  • Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

Audio

Cover Image for 1713. Mask (Buk, Krar, or Kara)

1713. Mask (Buk, Krar, or Kara)

0:00
0:00
We're sorry, the transcript for this audio track is not available at this time. Please email info@metmuseum.org to request a transcript for this track.

    Listen to more about this artwork

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Mask (Le Op), Turtle shell, hair, fiber, pigment, Torres Strait Island people
Mask (Le Op)
Torres Strait Island people
mid- to late 19th century
Mask, Wood, paint, plant fiber, feather, shell, Biwat people
Mask
Biwat people
late 19th–early 20th century
Mask (eharo), Barkcloth, cane, paint, fiber, Elema people
Mask (eharo)
Elema people
Early 20th century
Warup (drum), Wood, skin, Torres Strait, Australia
Warup (drum)
Torres Strait, Australia
late 19th century
Mask, Bone, conus shells, nassa shells, cassowary feathers, fiber, Adjora or Aion
Mask
Adjora or Aion
early to mid-20th century

Related Content

Perspectives

Articles, audio, and video from The Met's online magazine.

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please contact us using the form below. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.

Send feedback

Content Notice

The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world, and our online collection reflects ongoing work conducted over the course of our more than 150-year history. You may encounter objects or images that may be inappropriate for some viewers or information that may be outdated.