Dogfish Mask

Item number 164 in the catalogue "Bill Reid: a Retrospective Exhibition" (1974; Vancouver Art Gallery).

Painted dogfish mask with oval-shaped face. The mask is carved from a single piece of wood. The dogfish has a large mouth, jagged teeth, and a long red tongue. The arched form above the head is incised with three curved gill slits and two circles. There are also four gill slits on each side of the face. Back has 'HAIDA ART' and signature 'Reid' incised near top. (On the back two eye screws are strung with picture wire and a third, larger eye screw is loosely attached to the wire.)