Mask ·  Nepal, East · ID: 3034975

Description

wood, blackish brown patina, prominent cheekbones, unusual nose with bow-shaped lower rim, earrings, emblems on the forehead, teeth and fangs of brass- and silver metal, metal clamps arranged around the chin and above the mouth, leather appliqué on the head, slightly dam.,rep. (chin), minor missing parts (above all backside at the rim), paint rubbed off, metal base;
the usage of masks is widely spread in the Himalaya. They were used for religious ceremonies and ritual masquerades as well. Roughly there can be divided two groups of masks: the so-called “primitive” masks which can be affiliated from tribal or shamanistic traditions and the “classic” masks, which were created by the teachings of the great religions. Masks of the first group are designed according to their creators fantasy, while the design of masks of the second group stricty follows a clearly defined canon.

Comparing literature

Expo.Cat. "Als die Götter noch jung waren", Stadt Offenburg (ed.), Museum im Ritterhaus, 2002, p. 28 ff.