Mask

Item number 2956/211 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

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Description

Black painted metal carnival mask with protruding angular nose and red tongue, and thick dark red lines painted around the eye and mouth openings, with a red cross on the forehead. There is one hole in the centre top of the mask, and one on each side.

History Of Use

Masquerade costume mask. By 2011, red and black metal masks were only being made in Podence by José Alves. Masquerade and Carnival was suppressed in Podence during the years of Portugal's dictatorship but they were temporarily revived in the 1970s, before almost again disappearing a decade later. The value of this endangered cultural heritage was then realized, leading to its rescue and resurgence to become a symbol of regional identity. Normally only hornless masks are used for performances, in order to safeguard their wearers from being accidentally stabbed. Horned masks are made as souvenirs.

Narrative

José Alves first made many of these masks (see 2956/203-215) to be used by villagers for a performance at EuroDisney in Paris; he only later agreed to allow Shelton to purchase them for the MOA collection.