ticketsMember | Make a donation

Mask

ca. 1900
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 746
Worn during dance ceremonies, this Yup’ik mask depicts the artist’s vision of the universe. The whimsical imagery combines elements drawn from the Arctic realms of earth, sky, and water, such as the face with a black paw motif, the finely rendered fingers of a human hand grasping a fish, the head of a bird, and the seal. The bent willow bow that frames the central image once held feathers or other adornments.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Mask
  • Date: ca. 1900
  • Geography: Made in Alaska, United States
  • Culture: Yup'ik, Native American
  • Medium: Wood, pigment, and vegetal fiber
  • Dimensions: 20 1/2 × 15 × 8 in. (52.1 × 38.1 × 20.3 cm)
  • Credit Line: The Charles and Valerie Diker Collection of Native American Art, Gift of Charles and Valerie Diker, 2021
  • Object Number: 2021.434.1
  • Curatorial Department: The American Wing

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Mask, Wood, pigment, vegetal fiber, iron nails, and feathers, Yup'ik, Native American
Mask
Yup'ik, Native American
ca. 1900
Mask, Wood, vegetable fiber and pigment, Chugach, Native American
On loan to The Met
Mask
Chugach, Native American
1860
Mask, Wood and pigment, Tlingit, Native American
On loan to The Met
Mask
Tlingit, Native American
ca. 1860
Mask, Wood and pigment, Alutiiq/ Sugpiaq, Native American
Mask
Alutiiq/ Sugpiaq, Native American
ca. 1870
Mask, Wood and pigment, Alutiiq/ Sugpiaq, Native American
Mask
Alutiiq/ Sugpiaq, Native American
ca. 1870

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 complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.