Eskimo Polychrome Wood Face Mask

probably representing Isanuk, the walrus, of hollowed oval form and large proportions, the facial plane punctuated by the faceted and pierced circular eyes, triangular bifurcated nose and open, upturned mouth with four inserted teeth, with a bite-stick at the reverse; varied black and red pigmented surface with tool-marked surface.

Adams Hollis (A.H) Twitchell Colelction

Heye Foundation, 9/3406

Deaccessioned to Julius Carlebach, New York, 1945

Maria Martins, New York

Sold Sotheby's, New York, June 2004, Lot 19

Acquired by present owner from the above

Good condition overall. Minor surface cracks at the cranium, upper lip, and lower jaw, consistent with age and use in the culture.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Maria Martins (1894-1973) was a well-known Surrealist sculptor whose work was widely exhibited while she lived in the United States in the 1940's. Born in Brazil, she lived all over the world--Japan, Belgium, France and the United States--traveling with her husband, who was a diplomat. In 1941, she met Jacques Lipchitz, who fled from France to New York during the war. He taught Maria how to cast in bronze. In 1942, she had a one-woman exhibition at the Valentine Gallery in New York. Through this gallery, she met Piet Mondrian and acquired the famous work Broadway Boogie Woogie, which she then donated to The Museum of Modern Art. At the same time, she became part of the circle of artists, like Lipchitz, who sought refuge in New York during the war including Fernand Léger, Yves Tanguy, Matta, Max Ernst and, probably most importantly, André Breton and Marcel Duchamp. She began a relationship with Duchamp in 1946 and is believed to be the model for his Etant Donnés (ca. 1946-1948). In 1947, Breton wrote an essay on her work for the catalogue of the exhibition of her work at Julian Levy Gallery.

It was most likely Maria Martins' association with Breton that sparked her appreciation for African, Oceanic and American Indian works of art. Of course, Breton's collection and acquisitions in Paris are well-known. We know that during his time in New York, Breton frequented Julius Carlebach's gallery for example. At the same time, Martins' friend Lipchitz was also a collector of so-called 'primitive' art. In 1948, Martins' husband, Carlos Martins, was named ambassador to France. She certainly would have continued her contact with Breton, who returned to Paris after the war. It is believed that she acquired most of the American Indian, Oceanic and African works in her collection in New York and Paris primarily in the 1940's and early 1950's.Cf. Fienup-Riordan (1996: 249-257) for a discussion of Twitchell: 'The masks acquired by the Kuskokwim trader Adams Hollis Twitchell are among the most complex and elaborate ever collected.' Also see (ibid:  260) for a discussion of the Twitchell Collection at the Heye Foundation and their subsequent sale: 'Between 1944 and 1969, thirty-two of the fifty-five masks Twitchell sent east from the Kuskokwim were deaccessioned...New York art dealer Julius Carlebach purchased twenty-six of these masks between 1944-1946.'

See (ibid. : 252) for a related mask representing Isanuk (asveq), the walrus. 'This is the spirit that drives the walrus, sea-lions and seals towards shore so the hunter can get them. Twitchell collected three Isanuk masks near Bethel and sent them to Heye with identical descriptions, but the other two were sold out of the collection (ibid.).'  See also Douglas and D'Harnoncourt (1941: 193) for another related mask collected by Twitchell and in the collection of Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation.