Still life of masks, Papua New Guinea, ca. 1890

"Western Masks".; One of 113 albumen prints mounted in an album by W.G. Lawes. Formerly the first resident missionary on the South Sea island of Niue, Lawes transferred to Papua New Guinea in 1874 until his retirement in 1906. Lawes was a pioneer missionary photographer, and the first permanent non-indigenous resident of Papua New Guinea. He created the first photographic images of the islands and its peoples as well as images of missionary work, which were distributed commercially through Henry King of Sydney. Lawes' knowledge of, and role in, Papuan life was also of paramount importance to other photographers, particularly those of colonial government and expeditionary parties, such as the Australia-based professional photographer J. W. Lindt, who acknowledged the decisive role that Lawes played in facilitating his visit to Papua New Guinea and the photographic work he was able to carry out.