Vintage Mexican Hand Painted Terracotta Miniature Ceremonial Mask
Vintage Mexican Folk Art Miniature Clay Mask. Beautifully painted, with straw hair and white rope. Measures 3 inches wide x 4 inches height x 4.5 inches depth. Meant to be hung on the wall. Approx. 30-40 years old. Acquired in art gallery in Mexico.
Asking USD$65
Mask making is a part of Mexican ritual life that pre-dates the arrival of the Spanish. Masks in Mexico are used in a wide variety of dances, ceremonies, festivals and theatre, but the most common uses are with traditional dances. In these dances, non-professional performers wear masks to transform themselves into other beings or characters. While most traditional masks are made of wood, they may also be made from leather, wax, cardboard, papier-mâché and other materials. Most masks are scaled to fit the human face, with dancers looking out of slits just above the painted eyes.