Q: I just lost an auction for an awesome female Catrine mask. Here’s a photo of it; the eyelids do not close. With commission, it sold for $1400. I had bid $1100 and lost, and I’m very disappointed, as you can imagine. I really wanted that mask. Aaron, 869
A: You have my sympathy. This is a rare example of top-notch mask making in Mexico. There are just two states, Tlaxcala and Chiapas, where a high level of classical sculpture is occasionally achieved. The female Catrine we see here would be worn by a Nahua man who impersonates a girl who falls in love with a handsome cowboy. Note how much personality this ultra-realistic mask portrays. A+
