Offered by Sylvie Lhermite-King
REQUEST INFORMATION
Works of art, silver, glass and furniture from 16th to 18th century
Brazil, Mato Grosso, Amazonia
Culture Tapirape, circa1935
Provenance:
Private collection, Portugal
With Cites permit (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species)
The “Cara Grande” (big face) masks were made by the men of the Tapirapé with macaw feathers (ara macao, ara ararauna, ara chloroptera) glued with beeswax to a wooden plate.
Used during dances of the ritual cycle in June, they are worn by dancers who illustrate the fights against the Kapayo or the Karaja, neighboring peoples of the Tapirapé. They simulate the invasion of a village ending in the victory of the Tapirapé. The soul of the enemy warrior who died in battle then becomes a “spirit” favoring success in hunting.
