Mexican Dance Mask of Michoacan by Master Felipe Horta, Rustic Home Bohemian Decor, Gallery Wall
In the Mexican world of mask making, Felipe Horta is a master. I purchased this mask directly from him when I was working in the early 1990s at the University of New Mexico Latin American Institute. Already he was internationally renowned for creating amazing dance masks. From an article about the artist: "Felipe is a mask-maker, or mascarero, from Tocuaro, Michoacan, Mexico. He has dedicated himself since the age of 12 to producing masks for the pastorela (Shepherd's Tale) danzas, which are performed in his community and throughout Michoacan. Blending venerable allegory with symbols and scripts from popular culture, these dynamic performances that discuss and depict faith, sin, and salvation, also comment upon the joys and struggles of everyday life in contemporary Mexico. Felipe has introduced innovative, fine sculpting techniques into the thriving, vibrant art of mask making, and his exquisite masks are embraced and sought after by dancers and others in his community. Pavel Shlossberg, a scholar who has conducted ethnographic research in Felipe's community and nearby regions, wrote an article 'James Carey, the Devil and his Masks, Journalism and the Shepherd's Play in Michoacan, Mexico', in which he describes how pueblos all over Michoacan and through rural Mexico have their own particular fiesta days, and during these special, holy days, many members of the village community will celebrate communion together, and feast together, and also attend pastorela plays, or perhaps some other morality/mystery plays, which are performed during the fiesta each year. Pavel observed that in Tocuaro and in many other pueblos throughout Mexico, artisans carve some diabolic masks and some saintly masks each year, which are lent and sold to local dancers. Felipe has long contributed to these productions, as he has been carving for most of his life, having learned the skill from his father, noted mask-maker Eustacio Horta Castillo, when he was young." This particular mask is exactly that, one of the demons, and it at the time of purchase was one of the most intricate of those offered. It has what looks almost like a bat figure on the demon's forehead, the bat's wings forming eyebrows for the demon. The demon's horns curve around, almost like a bull's horns. The demon's jaws are painted in a pattern reminiscent of snakes, and indeed the two sides come together at the chin and loom almost like a eyes. This piece hung in my studio for 40 years, but early on it fell off the wall and suffered damage in the form of crack along the mask. Most of the cracks are in spots where the artist combined pieces of wood, as it is not carved all from one piece. I have discounted the piece on account of this damage; if you purchase works direction from Horta, this size fetches between $500-750. If you purchase his works from a gallery in Santa Fe, the masks of this size sell for $1200.
The mask measures about 13" tall by about 15" wide across the horns and closer to 11" side if you measure ear to ear. The piece when hanging is about 10" from the wall. The horns are removable and will be removed for shipping, although they are tied with light rope so they don't fall out too easily when inserted. Again, do check out the close ups of the cracks throughout.
Substantial, amazing, collectible.
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Please convo with questions, or call (505) 369-6865. Will return your call as soon as possible.
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Shipping from United States
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1-3 business days
Estimated shipping times
- North America : 4 - 12 weeks
- Europe : 6 - 16 weeks
- Australia, New Zealand and Oceania : 6 - 16 weeks
- Asia Pacific : 6 - 16 weeks
- Latin America and the Caribbean : 6 - 16 weeks
I'll do my best to meet these shipping estimates, but can't guarantee them. Actual delivery time will depend on the shipping method you choose.
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Ship items back to me within: 30 days of delivery
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Note that layaways past due over 30 days go into default. Once in default the transaction is cancelled and layaway payments are not returnable due to having removed items from the market and losing potential sales.
Convo to talk about a layaway plan that works for your budget.
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We get correspondance almost daily asking how much certain items are worth or what the price was of items that have sold, and we can no longer respond to these messages.