Santa Cruz de las Huerta, Jalisco, Mexico

18 inches, painted plaster on top of leather, ixtle fibers

Masks for the Jalisco Tastones Dances are unusual in appearance and material of construction. Those from the ceramic-producing town of Santa Cruz de las Huerta are made of plaster or clay modeled over a leather base. Sculpted with exaggerated features such as the nose and mouth, many also have reptiles applied to parts of the face, adding to the grotesque effect. They are then painted in bright colors and the hair is attached with string to holes across the forehead.

This damaged mask has lost most of the painted plaster on its chin. Note that the dancer taped some cotton to the inside so as not to hurt the bridge of his nose.

$195