Q: I bought this mask at an auction as part of a box of mixed china. It is made from wood. Hand carved and painted. It seems to be for a child (or just to hang up) as it is only 16.5cm (6 1/2 inches) high by 14cm (5 1/2 inches) wide. I would love to know what it is. Penny, 1087 A: Your mask is from East Java, the main island of Indonesia. On the back you can see it bears the name Djemang Keraros (sp?), a character in one of the dance dramas that are based on the Ramayana or Mahabarata epics. He could be a demon, deity,…
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PreColumbian clay mask, maybe
Q: I was recently in Argentina over the holidays and I purchased this mask at a flea market in Buenos Aires. It is about 7 x 6 in and seems to be made from clay. I bought it for about $70. The guy I bought it from said that his “friend” found it in Peru and brought it back. His friend found it in pieces and tried to repair it with the white parts. I have no idea if I got a unique mask or not and I’m hoping that you are able to help me identify it. Alex, 1086 A: It does not look Peruvian to me. I…
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Diablada mask from Ecuador
AP PHOTO: Masked devils dance in Ecuadorean mountain town A devil dancer takes part in “La Diablada” festival in Pillaro, Ecuador, Friday, Jan. 6, 2017. Thousands of singing and dancing devils take over a mountain town in Ecuador for six days of revelry in the streets. Herb sent this photo to us today. I think it’s wonderful that we can see a mask being worn in South America just a day ago. More evidence that masquerade is alive and well around the world. 1085 Save
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Anne Frank portrait mask
Q: I have this thank you note I keep forgetting to send to you for the wonderful inclusion of my work in your awesome book. Not only that but this book is a major source for me as reference and inspiration. Anyways I also thought I would keep you up to date with new work I’ve made. This one is a gold leafed Mache of Anne Frank. Patrick, 1084 A: Patrick Risse does many other types of contemporary art masks in addition to famous portraits. They are always one of a kind and very well made, but you don’t see them often on this website. I call them art masks.…
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Subali the monkey king
Let’s look at a professional dance mask from Bali. It would be danced in the Wayang Wong, one of the famous Hindu dance dramas that are still performed on the island. As you can see, it is very skilfully carved, painted and decorated. Masks of this quality are used by the well-known dance companies, and occasionally purchased by serious collectors and museums. This one comes from the Setiadarma House of Mask and Puppet in Bali. Fortunately this tradition is still alive and well in Bali. 1083 Save
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Popular Mexican armadillo mask
Q: I found this mask in a large box of unrelated items in warehouse and would like to find out whatever I can about its origin. Kathleen, 1082 A: These kinds of masks have been used by the Huave people of Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, for many years. They are carved out of local wood and decorated with armadillo shell and hair. They’re so appealing to tourists that thousands of extras are made every year for sale. This is an extra and is not as carefully made as the ones used for the dance. Still, it is a nice addition to anyone’s Mexican mask collection. B-
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Iroquois False Face Society mask
Q: I recently purchased this false face mask off of eBay. My guess is that it is likely one that is just a collectible piece of art due to the numbering. I was unable to find out what this numbering meant anywhere. My guess is that its some kind of number the artist put on them. I’ve seen multiple masks of this type with the numbers on the sides. I was told it came from a collection of Native American artifacts called “The Seagram Collection.” To me it looks a bit different than most of the false face masks I have seen! I have just begun to collect masks and…
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The evolution of masquerade in Guatemala
Most of the world’s folk art continues to evolve. I asked Aaron about the way Guatemalan masks have changed over the last 35 years. Here is what he said. If anything dramatically illustrates the changing traditions, I’d say it was the convites masks. The convite tradition goes back to medieval Europe and represents a relatively popular celebration of a local saint. I say “popular” in contrast to other dances, which typically involve heavily rehearsed dances by persons who spend quite a lot on buying or renting costumes from a morería. The elaborate costumes and masks for the Baile del Torito or Baile de la Conquista, for example, cost about 3…
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West African masks in use
This photo of Kple Kple and Kpan Pre masked dancers during a Goli performance, Kondeyaokro village, Ivory Coast, was just sent to me by David Norton, the African arts dealer. So I thought I’d share them with you as well. American photographer Eliot Elisofon (1911-1973) spent decades traveling around Africa. A pioneer in color photography, he worked as a color consultant on Hollywood movies and changed Western perceptions of ‘the Dark Continent’ and about African Art with his book Sculpture of Africa 1978 ( http://amzn.to/2iEdUJw) These pictures are from his collection of African masquerades (1942-1972) curated at the National Museum of African Art. See the images here: http://flashbak.com/african-masquerades-incredible-photos-of-tribal-masks-1942-1972-37764/
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Tschäggättä mask from Switzerland
Q: Bob, would you know where I might be able to buy a Tschaggatta mask? Thanks, Bjorn 1078 A: I found this picture on the internet. Located in the Lötschental Valley of Switzerland, the Tschäggättä is probably one of the oddest carnivals there is. When night falls, the oversized masked figures rampage through streets in various villages between the Catholic holiday of Candlemass and Shrove Tuesday. They are not organized in groups and appear unexpectedly as they please. The spectacular and frightening Tschaggatta chase children and spectators alike, and toss soot at unsuspecting victims. A Bjorn, Ask the Maskman is a free service where I try to identify a strange…
