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Elephant Mask

Label TextElephant masks proclaim support for a ruler. This example was part of a hierarchy of masks owned by a group of leaders. Elephants command attention as the largest land animal on earth. It was the last one to appear in a procession, marking the entrance and exit of all the other masks. While extinct in this region since the beginning of the century, the elephant retains great influence as a metaphor for the grandeur and power of a wild creature who once ruled the earth.

Object number81.17.697

Provenance[Harry Franklin, Beverly Hills, California]; purchased from gallery by Katherine White (1929-1980), Seattle, Washington, 1973; bequeathed to Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, Washington, 1981

Credit LineGift of Katherine White and the Boeing Company

Dimensions49 x 10 5/8 x 18 13/16 in. (124.5 x 27 x 47.8 cm)

MediumWood