Mexican colourful Bat dance mask, hammered in copper, Nahua people, 19-20th C

Unusual Balinese monkey mask-most probably a representation of Hanuman Here is some more info from Ubud. Mask-making is one of the oldest art-forms in the world. In Bali, masks (t...

Bamileke Kuosi Elephant masks comprise cloth panels and hoods woven from plantain fiber over raffia. On this background glass beads are stitched in geometric patterns. The basic form depicts salient features of the elephant—a long trunk and large ears. The hood fits tightly over the masker's head, and two hanging panels, one behind and one in front, partially conceal the body. The front panel is the elephant trunk, and the two large, stiff circles hinged to either side of the head are its ears, which flap as the masker dances. While the mask symbolizes an elephant, the face is human. Eyeholes provide visibility, and a nose and mouth with teeth are normally present. The glass beads used on these earlier masks were nineteenth-century trade beads of Venetian or Czechoslovakian manufacture, used as well in exchange for slaves. Elephant mask costumes...

Xantolo mask from the Huasteca region of Hidalgo. This rare collector's mask was acquired from the town of Tzapotitla in the municipality of Huazalingo in the mid 1970´s. The Xantolo celebration is a full blown...

This bright orange mask depicts a mythical being inspired by Javanese folklore. It was used in masked performances known as ‘wayang topeng’. The mask’s age is present in the fading o...