Mask Nepal, Middle Mountains

Mask Nepal, Middle Mountains.
Wood with matte black patina and traces of red pigment.
Provenance: Eric Chazot, Paris. Collection Liliane and Michel Durand-Dessert.
Measurements: 24 x 15,5 cm.

Carved in wood, the mask has a matte black patina, the result of its prolonged use and exposure to smoke during rituals. It has a trisul on the forehead in red pigment, V-shaped scarifications, nose broken at the edge and deviated, open mouth showing an incomplete denture and eyebrows highlighted with hair. Without ears.

The masks of the Middle Mountains of Nepal are associated with ritual and ceremonial practices of local communities, where they are used in dances and theatrical performances that combine elements of Tibetan Buddhism with animistic traditions. These masks not only serve as objects of worship, but are also artistic expressions that reflect the worldview and beliefs of the communities that produce them.

This mask was part of the collection of Liliane and Michel Durand-Dessert, renowned collectors of Himalayan tribal and shamanic art. Their collection has been the subject of exhibitions and studies that have contributed significantly to the knowledge and appreciation of the traditional arts of Nepal and surrounding regions.