Q: This mask was acquired in Himachal Pradesh, India. It is made of very light-weight wood, and has two cracks that have been repaired. It looks to be from somewhere in the Indian Himalayas, likely Himachal or Uttarakhand, but I’m not sure exactly where, or for what purpose the mask was made. It might be related to Faguli. David, 1696 A: Here is what Wikipedia says: The traditional dances of Himachal Pradesh are varied and complicated. These dances are a vital part of tribal life. It reflects the culture and the tradition of Himachal. Hardly any festivity there is celebrated without dancing. Dance forms such as Nati are performed all…
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Dayak mask from Borneo
This brightly painted mask caught my attention because I have never seen anything quite like it. It was wrongly identified as Javanese, and there was no other information. I think it is from West Kalimantan of Borneo, in another part of Indonesia that is far from Java. What do you think? Bob, 1695
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Bagong mask from Java
Q: I purchased this mask at an antique shop in Virginia. I am wondering where it is from and was it made to be worn or is it just a tourist trade item. It is about 6.5 inches wide and high, appears to be carved from coconut or some very light weight wood. I think I paid about $50 for it. Curious about the flame symbol at the eye point. Is it Buddhist of some sort? Richard, 1694 A: Your Bagong half mask is traditional and seems to have been used. Bagong masks are also made with the jaw, but they cost a little more and don’t permit drinking. The…
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Africa’s greatest mask
This Benin ivory mask is a sculptural portrait in ivory of Idia, (Queen Mother) of the 16th century Benin Empire. Two almost identical masks are kept at the British Museum in London and at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Both feature a serene face of the Queen Mother wearing a beaded headdress, a beaded choker at her neck, scarification highlighted by iron inlay on the forehead, and all framed by the flange of an openwork tiara and collar of symbolic beings, as well as double loops at each side for attachment of the pendant. There are also examples on the same theme at the Seattle Art…
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Masks as art
Q: Thought you might like to see this steel mask which I made some years ago. The steel came from an area that had been subjected to a cluster bomb attack. In this case the mask doesn’t protect: rather it shows the fragility of the wearer. Steve, 1692 A: I’ve always had some interest in cultural anthropology, but I was drawn to mask collecting mainly because they combine the two most important art forms: sculpture and painting. Your piece would be called wall sculpture because it is way more than just decorative art. It is fine art, and it also has meaning. Many of the masks shown on this site…
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Chinese Nuo Opera mask
Q: I acquired this special mask some 20 years ago. Seems to have good wear and tear to me. It’s a quite big mask (h 32cm w 33cm). I think it’s an ancient opera mask. But I’m not sure. Maybe you know more about it. Patrick, 1691 A: I only know this about your mask. Nuo opera is popular in southern China. Characterized by its special features such as ferocious appearance, unique dresses and adornments, it is also linked to exorcism. The opera is a religious performance intrinsic to the culture of Nuoism, a type of Chinese folk religion. The purpose of Nuo opera is to drive away devils, disease…
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Funny face masks
How could anything be funny about the coronavirus? However, I did get a laugh when I went to dezeen.com and saw these, plus several more, all by the photographer, Max Siedendopf. I now hope to return to answering questions about what I enjoy most… tribal masks. But people are not sending in pictures to The Mask Man like they used to. Why? Now that I can’t go anywhere and must stay in my house, I find masks even more interesting! Why don’t other people? Bob, 1690
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Tourist mask from Guerrero
Q: I found this mask and thought it was cool. Would love to learn more about it and its meaning. I do know it was made in Mexico. Any information would be appreciated. Chrystle, 1688 A: Tons of these cute masks with animals on their face are sold to tourists in Chilapa, Guerrero. They are also available in the gift shops and markets throughout the rest of the country. Most often the animal is a bat placed over the nose with its wings spread out. Many years ago these crazy looking masks were actually worn by villagers in the Danza de los Murcielagos. I saw one of those old bat…
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Bryan Stevens, 1944-2020
It was about 40 years ago that I bought my first mask (Mexican) at a flea market. A few years later I met Bryan who lived in the neighboring town of York, PA, and he really got me excited about collecting. Though he was a psychiatrist by profession, he curated one of the most important Mexican mask collections in the world. He was always generous with his time and taught me a great deal about the folk art and anthropology of Mexico. He was also kind enough to write the preface to “Masks of the World,” a book written by me and Troy Yohn in 2015. I will greatly miss…
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Guatemalan tigre mask
G: My father recently passed away and we are working through the various items at his estate. He was a big collector. He has 12 masks that I would like help appraising so that we can determine our next steps. I haven’t found any paperwork on this mask. Our dad kept records and usually did research on most items in his collection of over 800 items. Jodie, 1687 A: The jaguar is usually called El Tigre in Mesoamerica (Southern Mexico to Northern Panama). These yellow-with-black-dots (sometimes stripes) masks help represent El Tigre as a character in several different dances featuring animals. This is an excellent example of one area’s style.…
