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Raven Mask

ca. 1810–50
Not on view
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.
Each Haida clan owns the right to display a different set of emblematic imagery that refers to their relationships with human and animal ancestors. This finely carved mask represents Raven, a pivotal figure in the Haida creation story. Accompanied by the skilled movements of a dancer or performer, mechanical masks like this one can convey a lifelike portrayal of real and imaginary beings. The well-handled and polished surface of this early mask underscores its long history of use as a treasured family or clan heirloom.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Raven Mask
  • Artist: Unrecorded Haida artist
  • Date: ca. 1810–50
  • Geography: Canada, British Columbia, Haida Gwaai
  • Culture: Haida
  • Medium: Yellow cedar, copper, paint, skin straps
  • Dimensions: H. 13 1/4 × W. 9 × D. 18 1/4 in. (33.7 × 22.9 × 46.4 cm)
  • Classification: Wood-Sculpture
  • Credit Line: Eugene and Clare Thaw Collection, Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown, NY (T0185)
  • Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing