Animal mask
Bali, Indonesia
20 inches, painted wood, leather cap, attachments

Q: I have an old mask that I was told was collected in Indonesia many years ago. It is 20" long.  Alice, 12-3-11, 249

A: These masks are always large and heavy. The dancer holds them by the handles. They function as protective spirits.

Don't know what animal this is. Many different animal spirits can be portrayed. The boar is the most common in the villages of Bali. This looks more like a wolf. Attachments like this are used in China. There are some ethnic Chinese in in Bali.