The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of April 25, 2024
Face Mask (Iru mmuo)
possibly early 1900s
Overall: 16.9 x 11 x 6 cm (6 5/8 x 4 5/16 x 2 3/8 in.)
Gift of Kim Sherwin 2016.10
Location: not on view
Did You Know?
Though always worn by a man, the imagery of this mask celebrates youthful female beauty.Description
This small face mask would have been complemented by a separate, elaborate superstructure covered with cotton cloth. Though always worn by a man, the image glorifies youthful female beauty. Derived from chalky clay, the white coloration of the face refers to ancestral spirits whose powers the mask evokes. The masks dance in festivals that generally celebrate the dead but also appear at funerals to escort the deceased to the land of the ancestors.- {{cite web|title=Face Mask (Iru mmuo)|url=false|author=|year=possibly early 1900s|access-date=25 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2016.10