Old Indian mask

Guatemala

8 inches, painted wood

An old, used mask that has been repainted several times, and now has an excellent patina. Though recognizably in the Guatemalan aesthetic tradition, the design is unusual. Note the exaggerated sideburns. It appears that glass eyes were once attempted, but that doesn't make sense because there would have been no secondary eye holes through which the dancer could see. Another possibility is that it was originally designed as a Maximon.

$545