Sierra de Puebla, State of Puebla, Mexico

6 ½ Inches, painted wood.

The mustache carved in bold relief is very typical of masks from this region, as is the relief-carved hairline. One indication of use is that the mask has been repainted; the original hairline is carved in the wood, but the painted hair follows a different line. From the back it has signs of mild wear.

One can usually recognize a Moor-type mask by the visible negative features, in this case the mouth is carved in a permanent scowl. This mask also demonstrates the common practice of placing vision slits in a way that they tend to blend in, in this case tucked under the brows while the carved or painted features stand out more dramatically.

A beginning collector of Mexican masks may be be drawn to the dramatic masks- animals, devils and skulls for example. Over time, one becomes increasingly aware of the charms of the human-faced masks, superficially so similar but actually presented with almost infinite variety.

SOLD