** A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this lot will benefit The Fowler Museum at UCLA **

Latin America, Mexico, Oaxaca or Michoacan, ca. early 20th century CE. A superb Negrito (little black one) mask. so-called for its black complexion, with green eyes made from bottle glass, the whites of which are lined in red pigment to add drama, eye slits above the lids, a protruding straight nose, and red lips set within a sunken mouth area complementing the contours created via sunken round cheeks and a pointed protruding chin. Several traditional Mexican folk dances feature masks that represent African or "black" personages, stemming from the importation of African slaves by the Spanish colonialists. According to scholars, these slaves oftentimes acted as intermediaries between the Spanish conquistadors and the indigenous peoples. A very expressive and intriguingly naturalistic example. Size: 7" W x 7" H (17.8 cm x 17.8 cm)

Provenance: Ex-private Morgan collection, Santa Monica, CA

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#114575

Paint losses as shown. Perforations at top and one to right side of mouth.