MEXICAN AND GUATEMALAN MASKS

MEXICAN AND GUATEMALAN MASKS

There has not been a major Mexican and Guatemalan Dance mask exhibition in New York City let alone in this country since the 1980s.  Robert Bishop, the ex-director of the American Folk Art Museum had asked Cavin-Morris Gallery to curate one for the museum, but he unfortunately passed on before it could be implemented.  It left a very unfortunate gap in the understanding of this fascinating American art form.  There are still Yaqui ceremonial dances, for instance, in Arizona during Easter week.  It is a vital changing, living form.

It has taken almost forty years for Cavin-Morris to gather this collection of carvings together and reintroduce these masked traditions to the public in an authentic and qualitatively high presentation.

The oldest wooden Mexican mask on record is in the American Museum of Natural History and was carved by an Olmec artisan (1200 – 400 BCE). There were undoubtably many wooden masks, but wood perishes easily in the humid lowlands of Central America.  Surviving masks dating from the early 20th century are of venerable age.  We include several Pre-Colombian sculptures of heads and faces for reference including a skull mask from Colima culture (300 – 900 CE) and a stone Chontal mask (350 – 100 BCE).

Mexican and Guatemalan masks have canons of form and content, but they are open to idiosyncratic styles of carvers, and like some Himalayan masks, are open to their personal styles and expressions.

The masks in this exhibition date from the beginning of the 20th century to the third quarter of the 20th century.  Stylistically, they range from variations on classic human faces, to bull-devils, to anthropomorphic jaguars.  They come from several private American collections.

These masks contain the syncretic history of the Americas, often combining Native American, European and African iconographies.  Some have shamanistic references and some record colonial histories.  Many of these dances, each with a rich variety of characters, are still being danced today in Mexico and Guatemala.

We view this exhibition as an important introduction to a deep abiding culture, ancient in roots and still vital in the present--a truly American art form. 

For additional information please contact info@cavinmorris.com or call us at 212-226-3768.

Masks
Mexico, Guanajuato Calavera, Toritos Dance, mid 20th C.
Polychrome wood
11 x 7 x 3.5 inches
27.9 x 17.8 x 8.9 cm
M 385

Masks
Mexico, Huasteca Indian Region, Veracruz, Azteca Mask, Conquest Dance, Mid 20th C.
Polychrome wood
9 x 6.5 x 9 inches
22.9 x 16.5 x 22.9 cm
M 468

Masks
Guatemala, Solola, Mox Mask, Patzcar Dance, Late 19th C., Early 20th C.
Wood, tree resin
8.25 x 6 x 2.5 inches
21 x 15.2 x 6.4 cm
M 445

Masks
Mexico, Vera Cruz, Huasteca Region, Carnival Mask, Mid 20th C.
Wood, bottle caps, nails
9 x 5.5 x 3 inches
22.9 x 14 x 7.6 cm
M 579

Masks
Mexico, Veracruz, Huasteca
Moor Mask, Dance of the Moors and Christians, mid 20th C.
Polychrome wood
7 x 6 x 14 inches
17.8 x 15.2 x 35.6 cm
M 387

Masks
Mexico, Guerrero, Nahua, Tigre mask, Tecuane dance, Mid 20th C.
Polychrome wood, leather
11 x 7 x 6 inches
27.9 x 17.8 x 15.2 cm
M 429 s

Masks
Mexico, Guerrero
Perro mask, Tlacololero Dance, mid 20th C.
Polychrome wood, leather
10 x 8 x 4 inches
25.4 x 20.3 x 10.2 cm
M 375

Masks
Mexico, Guerrero
Perro mask, Tlacololero Dance, Mid 20th C.
Polychrome wood, paint, leather
8.5 x 7 x 4 inches
21.6 x 17.8 x 10.2 cm
M 442

Masks
Guatemala, Nahuala, Pig Mask, Early 20th C.
Wood
8 x 5.5 x 3.5 inches
20.3 x 14 x 8.9 cm
M 568

Masks
Guatemala, Nahualá, Dance of Vaquero or Torito, Early 20th C.
Wood
6.5 x 5.25 x 2 inches
16.5 x 13.3 x 5.1 cm
M 527

Masks
Mexico - Michoacán or Guerrero
Hermitaño Mask, circa 1960
Wood with gesso
8.75 x 6.75 x 4 inches
22.2 x 17.1 x 10.2 cm
M 35 s

Masks
Mexico - White Mask, Character Unknown, Region Unknown, circa 1940-50
Polychrome wood
8.5 x 6.25 x 4.5 inches
21.6 x 15.9 x 11.4 cm
M 19 s

Masks
Mexico, Oaxaca, Pinoteca Region, Negrito Mask, Dance of the Negritos,
Mid 20th C.
Polychrome wood, tassels
7 x 6 x 3.5 inches
17.8 x 15.2 x 8.9 cm
M 580

Masks
Mexico, Guanajuato
Bull Devil Mask, Pastorela Dance, mid 20th C.
Polychrome wood, horns, leather
12.75 x 12.5 x 8 inches
32.4 x 31.8 x 20.3 cm
M 394 s

Masks
Mexico, Guanajuato, Hermitano mask, Pastorela dance, c. 1960's
Wood, hemp
28 x 10 x 6 inches
71.1 x 25.4 x 15.2 cm
M 453 s

Masks
Guatemala, Highlands - Mexicano Mask, Dance of the Vaqueros, Early 20th C.
Carved painted wood with glass eyes
7 x 5.5 x 4 inches
17.8 x 14 x 10.2 cm
M 24 s

Masks
Guatemala - Deer masks (set of 2), Dance of Deer, Hunt, or Animals, Early - Mid 20th C.
Polychromed wood, deer antlers, fur, and nails
2A: 15.25 x 9 x 10.25 inches
38.7 x 22.9 x 26 cm
2B: 19 x 8 x 12 inches
48.3 x 20.3 x 30.5 cm
M 2 s

Masks
Guatemala, Region Unknown, Spaniard Mask, Dance of the Conquest, 20th C.
Polychrome wood
8 x 5.5 x 4 inches
20.3 x 14 x 10.2 cm
M 518 s

Masks
Guatemala, Alta Verapaz, Malinche Mask, Early 20th C.
Polychrome wood
9 x 6.25 x 4 inches
22.9 x 15.9 x 10.2 cm
M 474 s

Masks
Guatemala, Quiche Region, Deer Mask, Venado Dance, 20th C.
Polychrome wood, antlers
16 x 8 x 10.5 inches
40.6 x 20.3 x 26.7 cm
M 546 s

Masks
Guatemala, Region unknown, Tapir Mask, Dance of the Animales, Early 20th C.
Polychrome wood, leather
9 x 6 x 5 inches
22.9 x 15.2 x 12.7 cm
M 506 s

Masks
Mexico, Guerrero, Zitlala, Tigre Mask, Tecuane Dance, Mid 20th C.
Painted leather, boar bristles, mirror
11 x 21 x 12 inches
27.9 x 53.3 x 30.5 cm
M 448

Masks
Mexico, Guanajuato, Diabo Mask, Pastorela Dance, Mid 20th C.
Polychrome wood, horns, leather
16 x 20 x 9.5 inches
40.6 x 50.8 x 24.1 cm
M 574

Masks
Mexico, Guanajuato
Bull Devil, Pastorela dance, mid 20th C.
Polychrome wood, rubber ball, cloth
16.25 x 15 x 9.5 inches
41.3 x 38.1 x 24.1 cm
M 368

Masks
Mexico, Guanajuato
Bull Devil, Pastorela Dance, mid 20th C.
Polychrome wood, leather, horns
13.5 x 12 x 7.5 inches
34.3 x 30.5 x 19.1 cm
M 380

Masks
Mexico, Guerrero, Devil Mask, Various dances (Tres Potencias), Mid 20th C.
Polychrome wood, horns, animal teeth, leather, horse hair
13 x 6 x 4 inches
33 x 15.2 x 10.2 cm
M 569

Masks
Mexico, Guerrero, Atzacuacoya, Tigre Mask, Tecuane Dance, Late 20th C. 
Painted leather, boar bristles, mirror
16 x 16 x 10 inches
40.6 x 40.6 x 25.4 cm
M 451

Masks
Mexico, Guerrero, Zitlala
Tigre Mask, Tecuane Dance, mid 20th C.
Painted leather, boar bristles, mirror
11 x 18 x 7.5 inches
27.9 x 45.7 x 19.1 cm
M 400 s

Masks
Mexico, Guerrero, Zitlala, Tigre Mask, Tecuane Dance, Mid 20th C.
Painted leather, boar bristles, mirror
10.5 x 17 x 9.5 inches
26.7 x 43.2 x 24.1 cm
M 452

Masks
Mexico, Guerrero, Atzacuacoya, Tigre Mask, Tecuane Dance, Mid 20th C.
Painted leather, boar bristles, mirror
11 x 16.5 x 9 inches
27.9 x 41.9 x 22.9 cm
M 450

Masks
Mexico, Guerrero, Zitlala, Tigre Mask, Tecuane Dance, Mid 20th C.
Painted leather, boar bristles, mirror
10 x 8.5 x 10 inches
25.4 x 21.6 x 25.4 cm
M 449

Masks
Mexico, Guerrero, Acatlán, Tigre Mask, Tecuane Dance, Mid 20th C.
Leather
11 x 9 x 10 inches
27.9 x 22.9 x 25.4 cm
M 466

Masks
Tigre, Danza de los Tigres, Acatlan, GRO, Del Rio, Late 20th C.
Leather, paint
9.5 x 7 x 8 inches
24.1 x 17.8 x 20.3 cm
M 502