GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The Yup'ik Eskimo of western Alaska, believe that everything has a spirit (or soul)—people, animals, and things—and all participate in an endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. The boundaries between the spirit world and the real world, and between the human world and the world of animals, are not always clear.
Yup’ik seasonal festivals held in the men’s house, the social and ceremonial center of the village, often included masked dances. The face on this mask may represent Tunghak, Keeper of the Game, who allows animals to pass from the spirit world to the world of humans to replenish the supply of game. This mask alludes to the boundaries and reciprocal relationship between human beings and animals, a reminder that animals give themselves to human beings, who must in turn respect animals.
Adapted from
- Bonnie Pitman, ed., "Mask with seal or sea otter spirit (1976.50)," in Dallas Museum of Art: A Guide to the Collection (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2012), 59.
- DMA Label Copy (1976.50), n.d.
NOTES
- Yup'ik, late 19th century (noted on TMS), updated by KJones on 10/15/13.
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Cultures
Yup'ik: AAT: 300102489
Alaskan Native styles: AAT: 300102451
Arctic Native American styles: AAT: 300017444
Eskimo (culture or style): AAT: 300017447
Inuit (Canadian Arctic Native style): AAT: 300017455
Geography
Arctic (general region): TGN: 7593183
Alaska (state): TGN: 7006450
Yukon River (river): TGN: 7030951
Process/materials
wood: AAT: 300011914
paint (coating): AAT: 300015029
carving (processes): AAT: 300053149
Historical periods
Individuals
Subject terms
masks (costume): AAT: 300138758
ritual objects: AAT: 300312158
ceremonial objects: AAT: 300234117
supernatural (concepts): AAT: 300055947
underworld (doctrinal concept): AAT: 300343823
spirits: AAT: 300379007
souls (spirits / beings): AAT: 300379821
births (events): AAT: 300069672
deaths: AAT: 300151836
reincarnation: AAT: 300073437
festivals: AAT: 300073472
ceremonies: AAT: 300054754
hunting: AAT: 300239666
dance (discipline): AAT: 300054144
dancing: AAT: 300389779
shaman: AAT: 300218522
visions (life events): AAT: 300251603
geometric shape: AAT: 300263819
geometric motifs: AAT: 300009764
circles (plane figures): AAT: 300055627
circular (shape): AAT: 300263827
dots (geometric motif): AAT: 300010145
cosmology (cosmological / disciplines): AAT: 300054294
suns (stars): AAT: 300379806
stars (extraterrestrial bodies): AAT: 300387654
faces (animal or human components): AAT: 300251798
animals (Animalia kingdom): AAT: 300249395
figures (representations): AAT: 300189808
face paint (body art / visual works / adornment): DMA
bears (Ursidae family): AAT: 300266516
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
n.d.: Private collection, California [1], [2]
Until 1976: Jonathan Holstein, New York [1], [2]
1976-1982: Mrs. Robert R. Penn, Dallas [1], [2]
From 1982: Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, gift of Elizabeth H. Penn, purchased from the above [1], [2], [3], [4], [5]
[1] The main source for this provenance was existing information in TMS (in Dallas Museum of Art Digital Collections Records Object Files). Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
[2] The main source for this provenance is Dallas Museum of Fine Arts Catalogue Worksheet (n.d., copy in Dallas Museum of Art Collections Records Object File, Confidential). Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
[3] The main source for this provenance is Acquisition Record (dated September 30, 1982, copy in Dallas Museum of Art Collections Records Object File, Confidential). Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
[4] The main source for this provenance is Deed of Gift (dated October 06, 1982, copy in Dallas Museum of Art Collections Records Object File, Confidential). Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
[5] The name of the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, founded in 1933, was changed to the Dallas Museum of Art in 1983.
AUDIO ASSETS
VIDEO ASSETS
IMAGE ASSETS
WEB RESOURCES
ARCHIVAL RESOURCES
FUN FACTS
- Named on "American Indian and Northwest Coast Top Ten List" (August 6, 1992), Steven A. LeBlanc, former curator at the Southwest Museum at Los Angeles.
TEACHING IDEAS
RULES
Apply to objects where number equals 1982.82
Category
rules_operator
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General Description
The Yup'ik Eskimo of western Alaska, believe that everything has a spirit (or soul)—people, animals, and things—and all participate in an endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. The boundaries between the spirit world and the real world, and between the human world and the world of animals, are not always clear.
Yup’ik seasonal festivals held in the men’s house, the social and ceremonial center of the village, often included masked dances. The face on this mask may represent Tunghak, Keeper of the Game, who allows animals to pass from the spirit world to the world of humans to replenish the supply of game. This mask alludes to the boundaries and reciprocal relationship between human beings and animals, a reminder that animals give themselves to human beings, who must in turn respect animals.
Adapted from
- Bonnie Pitman, ed., "Mask with seal or sea otter spirit (1976.50)," in Dallas Museum of Art: A Guide to the Collection (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2012), 59.
- DMA Label Copy (1976.50), n.d.
Fun Facts
- Named on "American Indian and Northwest Coast Top Ten List" (August 6, 1992), Steven A. LeBlanc, former curator at the Southwest Museum at Los Angeles.
Archival Resources
Web Resources
Notes
- Yup'ik, late 19th century (noted on TMS), updated by KJones on 10/15/13.
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Cultures
Yup'ik: AAT: 300102489
Alaskan Native styles: AAT: 300102451
Arctic Native American styles: AAT: 300017444
Eskimo (culture or style): AAT: 300017447
Inuit (Canadian Arctic Native style): AAT: 300017455
Geography
Arctic (general region): TGN: 7593183
Alaska (state): TGN: 7006450
Yukon River (river): TGN: 7030951
Process/materials
wood: AAT: 300011914
paint (coating): AAT: 300015029
carving (processes): AAT: 300053149
Historical periods
Individuals
Subject terms
masks (costume): AAT: 300138758
ritual objects: AAT: 300312158
ceremonial objects: AAT: 300234117
supernatural (concepts): AAT: 300055947
underworld (doctrinal concept): AAT: 300343823
spirits: AAT: 300379007
souls (spirits / beings): AAT: 300379821
births (events): AAT: 300069672
deaths: AAT: 300151836
reincarnation: AAT: 300073437
festivals: AAT: 300073472
ceremonies: AAT: 300054754
hunting: AAT: 300239666
dance (discipline): AAT: 300054144
dancing: AAT: 300389779
shaman: AAT: 300218522
visions (life events): AAT: 300251603
geometric shape: AAT: 300263819
geometric motifs: AAT: 300009764
circles (plane figures): AAT: 300055627
circular (shape): AAT: 300263827
dots (geometric motif): AAT: 300010145
cosmology (cosmological / disciplines): AAT: 300054294
suns (stars): AAT: 300379806
stars (extraterrestrial bodies): AAT: 300387654
faces (animal or human components): AAT: 300251798
animals (Animalia kingdom): AAT: 300249395
figures (representations): AAT: 300189808
face paint (body art / visual works / adornment): DMA
bears (Ursidae family): AAT: 300266516
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
n.d.: Private collection, California [1], [2]
Until 1976: Jonathan Holstein, New York [1], [2]
1976-1982: Mrs. Robert R. Penn, Dallas [1], [2]
From 1982: Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, gift of Elizabeth H. Penn, purchased from the above [1], [2], [3], [4], [5]
[1] The main source for this provenance was existing information in TMS (in Dallas Museum of Art Digital Collections Records Object Files). Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
[2] The main source for this provenance is Dallas Museum of Fine Arts Catalogue Worksheet (n.d., copy in Dallas Museum of Art Collections Records Object File, Confidential). Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
[3] The main source for this provenance is Acquisition Record (dated September 30, 1982, copy in Dallas Museum of Art Collections Records Object File, Confidential). Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
[4] The main source for this provenance is Deed of Gift (dated October 06, 1982, copy in Dallas Museum of Art Collections Records Object File, Confidential). Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
[5] The name of the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, founded in 1933, was changed to the Dallas Museum of Art in 1983.
AUDIO ASSETS
VIDEO ASSETS
rules
Apply To
Objects
number
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1982.82
source file
object_notes_3_a-0765.xml.nores