One of the most creative (and busy) mask makers is Herminio Candelario who lives in Suchitlan, Colima. This mask could be a coyote or a dog. Animals are used in the dance of the Morenos in which they are scaring away the Roman Centurions who are guarding Christ’s tomb. Don Herminio has been improving village dances for many years with his always-different carvings. What doesn’t get used for that purpose is sold to tourists. Collectors call the leftovers “decoratives,” which they disdain. Not me. Unused decoratives are in beautiful condition and I often add them to my Mexican mask collection. Do you like this as much as an old, used…
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9 Mahakalas on 1 plaque
Q: Here are some pictures and info about a wood mask. I bought it at an estate sale in Maine a week ago. The mask is light in weight. Has a red wax seal on back. Mask measures 20 inches high X 13 inches width X 6 inches depth. Can you give me some info on it? Joel, 1396 A: This is a decorative wall hanging from Nepal. The use of Mahakala masks and the red wax seal tell us where it was made. The Indians south of Nepal use 10-headed masks of King Ravana for their Chau dances, but I’ve not heard of 9 Mahakalas. I believe this unusual…
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Ecuadorian monkey mask
Q: Thanks so much for the write up about my mask. I don’t know anything about this subject, so it is so cool to learn more about it! Here are the attached photos of the other two masks I found at Goodwill. One looks like an elephant and isn’t nearly as detailed as the other. The other one looks to me like a monkey, and now that I am looking at it I think it might be some sort of plaster, not wood. Kelley, 1395 A: I don’t normally do a second mask from the same person. Summer is slow and this monkey mask is nicely done in a traditional…
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“Mexican” Guatemalan dance mask
Q: I found this mask at a Goodwill for $7.99 along with two other similar wooden masks, though this one is the most interesting to me. It is carved wood and looks like it has glass eyes. It looks like there might have been fake eyelashes attached at one point, but they are gone now. The teeth look like they have some sort of plastic covering over them. It is roughly 9 inches long and 7 inches wide. It has the initials J.T.S. on the back. Kelley, 1394 A: The Mask Man is so happy when someone finds a desirable masks. It doesn’t happen very often! This is a “Mexican”…
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A mask that changed the art world
Here is a wonderful Fang Ngil mask from North Gabon that is just like the one Picasso collected in the late 19th century. The scan is high-res, so make it as big as you want. This is the piece of African sculpture that began the great change in Western modern art. I couldn’t find a side view which would show the long, concave curve of the nose. What a shock this piece of abstract sculpture was to European painters! People who are attracted to mask collecting usually have a strong interest in either art or anthropology. Of course, I fall into the former category. Which way are you? The Mask…
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Cajun Marti Grass mask
Cajuns live in the largely self-contained communities in the bayou areas in southern Louisiana. They are descendants of French Canadians, who speak French. Unlike the people of New Orleans, their celebration of the Lenten Marti Gras is done in home-made masks and costumes that resemble nothing else I’ve ever seen. They don’t look like the masks and costumes used in New Orleans. Romanian masks (below) come the closest. With the exception of Halloween, masquerade is not used in most modern American celebrations.
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The famous Rangda mask
Q: I’ve got a beautiful mask which I believe is the evil one. It came into my hands about 8 years ago from my uncle who traveled the world and collected masks. He told me to look after it as it could be worth something in a few years. I took the mask to a very good friend of mine who is actually from Bali Indonesia and she said the same. I believe it’s some sort of carved wood with horse hair. It’s such a shame to have it stored away so I was looking at selling it. The mask has a slight damage which is a bit of one…
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Another mask for Muslim women
A comment on another style I have not seen before from one of our viewers: “Just recently I was in the Mask Museum in Belgium and they considered puppets a kind of masks. I was surprised but got convinced by their definition, so now I agree on considering the Burka a kind of mask too. There are other types of hijabs that more resemble masks, like the Battoula in some Arab states: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battoulah.” Rey
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Peruvian Diablo mask
Q: I believe this devil mask is from Brazil. I inherited my friends’ home, and found this and two other masks; my friends had lived in Brazil about 20-30 years ago. The mask is approximately 15” tall and appears to be papier-mâché, though I’m not sure (one of the horns is soft). It looks like some images I’ve seen online of the Carnaval de Oruro. Can you tell me more about it and approximate worth? Carol, 1389 A: Not Brazil, but over their western border in Peru. Oruro is in Bolivia where the masks are similar in style. It has not been used. Large and very traditional, I think most…
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Old or fake?
Q: Here is another Guatemalan mask, a conquistador, told to be from early 20th, from an old collection in LA. No trace of paint. Seems to be a nice patina on the back… but I wonder if this piece was waxed to give this brown uniform patina. Your impression would be really welcome. Jean, 1388 A: This classic mask could also be a Moor or some other character. Sometimes masks like this are repainted to be a different character if the morreria* is running out. The big question would be its authenticity. It does not have a morreria mark or any signs of paint. Also, I think the carving is…
