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Ceremonial Mask · Carved and Polychrome Wood

$700
£529.21
€633.90
CA$996.18
A$1,018.08
CHF 581.37
MX$13,247.61
NOK 6,642.73
SEK 6,923.62
DKK 4,738.32

About the Item

Puebla, Mexico, circa 1970. This mask arrived at a dance before it arrived on a wall. The character it represents is unmistakable in the dance tradition of Puebla: a rose-toned complexion, a black beard carved with precision in a chevron pattern, black hair framing the face, golden-lidded eyes with dark pupils ringed by individually painted lashes. Three red lines cross the forehead like scars or ritual marks. The reddened cheeks, the pronounced nose, the barely suggested smile — all build a face that is caricature and portrait at once. The red element at the top — triangular, sharp, almost a crest — breaks the symmetry of the piece and gives it its most unsettling character. It is not ornament: it is signal. It indicates that this figure belongs to a precise symbolic universe, where every color and every form has a function within the narrative of the dance. The interior, hollowed by hand with a gouge, shows the raw unpainted wood — the eye holes, the side openings for tying the mask to the dancer’s face. A number written in red on the inside suggests it was part of a set, a company, a celebration that repeated year after year. Patina and wear consistent with ceremonial use. Collector’s piece.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 8.67 in (22 cm)Width: 8.27 in (21 cm)Depth: 6.3 in (16 cm)
  • Style:
    Folk Art (In the Style Of)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1940
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use.
  • Seller Location:
    Mexico City, MX
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU4252252801072

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