A climber sits just inside the warmth of a mountain hut, snow still caught in her braid and across her red jacket. Another woman gently loosens the thick wool scarf at her neck. Their quiet exchange fills the foreground, framed by soft knitwear and the warm grain of the timber walls. Behind them, three figures in dark green coats wait in carved wooden masks: a goat, an owl and a long-nosed old man.

The masks have visible grain, cut edges and deep eye openings, making them recognisable handmade objects. Their stillness adds a playful uncertainty to the climber’s homecoming. Old skis and ropes hang beside windows banked with blue snow, while a tiled stove glows at the room’s edge. A pot, bread and cups wait on the long table, offering signs of a simple meal after the cold journey. Amber lamplight joins the fire’s warmth across wool, wood and skin. The scene holds two preparations at once: one guest settling indoors, and a small masked group ready to step out into the October night.