Indonesia, Bali or Java, 19th century CE. This is an antique hand carved wooden mask with wide, staring eyes, a long, pointed, upturned nose, curled black incised hair, and a grinning face. This mask is in the Topeng style -- actually the Indonesian word for mask -- which for centuries has been worn during the dramatic dances enacted in Bali and to a lesser extent Java that depict traditional stories of kings, princes, heroes, and myths. In these dances, the entire story is performed by only four or five actors playing all the parts, both male and female. As a result, actors will have around forty masks like this one that are only his; there is believed to be a special bond between actor and mask and that when he dons the mask, he enters a kind of trance, connected to the spiritual world. Size: 6.25" W x 8" H (15.9 cm x 20.3 cm)

Provenance: Ex-private Poolos collection / Adeon Gallery, Chicago, IL

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#113611

Expected wear with lovely authentic patina.