Q: Hello Bob, here’s a mask which comes from Sri Lanka. I found it in Tangalle, which is on the South coast if the island. It looks a bit ancient. Just wanted to share it with you… Maillard, 848
A: I thought we ought to share this beautiful mask with our visitors. Sri Lanka has a long history of masquerade which includes several different types of masks (this one is a Kolam), each of which can represent hundreds of different characters. They are usually very brightly colored where as this one is more subtle in its coloring and especially well carved. I would have to look closely to tell whether its nice patina is the result of old age or the antiquing process.
One Comment
Bob Ibold
Maillard wrote in today with the following message:
“Here’s the rear of my mask. It’s 20 cm high and 17 cm wide.”
From the rear I can tell this carving was made only to hang on the wall. It was sculpted by a skilled craftsman for sale to a discerning segment of the tourist trade.