Mexican Mask (Composite: Devil, Bat, Frog, and Bearded Man)
Geography: Mexico
Culture: Mexican Folk Art
Date: 20th century
Medium: Carved wood, polychrome paint, wire
Dimensions: Height: 84.5 cm (33.25 in); Width: 35.6 cm (14 in); Depth: 17.1 cm (6.75 in)
Condition: Good. The object exhibits surface wear, paint loss, and abrasions consistent with age. The composite structure is intact. A wire for hanging is attached to the reverse. No major structural damage is present.
Object Description
The mask depicts a devil at the top with two lizards on either side of the face. A green bat rests just below the devil. An intricately carved bearded man occupies the central area of the mask, while a tiger rests under the beard at the bottom.
The work is very large but still has two slits for eyes near the center of the mask. The mask might have been used in festivals/ceremonies. A wire affixed to the reverse for wall display. Surface wear and paint loss are present across the piece.
Historical Context
Mexican folk art includes complex, non-wearable masks made for ceremonial display and as expressive sculptures. Composite masks combining human, animal, and supernatural figures draw from pre-Hispanic and Catholic colonial imagery, often representing cosmological themes, moral narratives, or alebrije-inspired fantastical creatures.
Mexican Mask (Composite: Devil, Bat, Frog, and Bearded Man)
Geography: Mexico
Culture: Mexican Folk Art
Date: 20th century
Medium: Carved wood, polychrome paint, wire
Dimensions: Height: 84.5 cm (33.25 in); Width: 35.6 cm (14 in); Depth: 17.1 cm (6.75 in)
Condition: Good. The object exhibits surface wear, paint loss, and abrasions consistent with age. The composite structure is intact. A wire for hanging is attached to the reverse. No major structural damage is present.
Object Description
The mask depicts a devil at the top with two lizards on either side of the face. A green bat rests just below the devil. An intricately carved bearded man occupies the central area of the mask, while a tiger rests under the beard at the bottom.
The work is very large but still has two slits for eyes near the center of the mask. The mask might have been used in festivals/ceremonies. A wire affixed to the reverse for wall display. Surface wear and paint loss are present across the piece.
Historical Context
Mexican folk art includes complex, non-wearable masks made for ceremonial display and as expressive sculptures. Composite masks combining human, animal, and supernatural figures draw from pre-Hispanic and Catholic colonial imagery, often representing cosmological themes, moral narratives, or alebrije-inspired fantastical creatures.
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