 Q: I got this deer mask online where it was described as African, however I’m fairly certain it’s Mexican. The main portion is carved wood with attached ears and antlers. The antlers appear to be modified tree branches. I’d like to know your opinion. Dan, 1304
A: You’re right, and I think you picked out a good one. This deer mask is well made and in good condition. Deer characters show up in the dances of several different ethnic groups and locations in Mexico. You should be able to pin this down, but it might take some effort. How much did you pay for it?  |
Handheld home-made mask
Japanese mask festival
4 Comments
Dan
Sometimes you get lucky- I only paid $25 for this one
Bob Ibold
Dan got this on the Internet where a few good ones can be found occasionally. But don’t try eBay unless you know a lot about masks… and have plenty of time.
Bob Ibold
I saw a deer mask like this one on the Novica website. Here is some of the copy…
“The stories that my grandfather used to tell me inspired me to create this sculpture,” explains Guatemalan carver Jose Canil Ramos. “To the Maya people, the deer is the most intelligent creature of all, and represents the purity of the forests.” Canil carves the mask by hand from pinewood and paints it with extraordinary artistry. Before finishing the piece, he applies a mixture of soot and water to achieve an antique and weathered illusion. The ears and antlers are disassembled for shipping.
Dan
Very similar, but not exactly like the deer mask shown by Bryan Stevens in his Mexican mask blog from June 13 2016 . He describes that mask as being” from Miahualco and the carver was Manuel Cortez”.