Janusian Papier-mâché Mask

The mask bears the mark of its creator in St. Mark's Square in Venice. The composite photo allows you to observe it without turning it over. January is the month of Janus, the two-faced Roman god: one young, the other old, sometimes male and female, one looking back, the other forward, thus illustrating transition. It marks the passage to the new year, recalling the highlights of the year that has just ended. It also represents a passage toward the future, making him the god of beginnings. It signifies the passage between two places, which earns him the role of guardian of gates and ports. Surprisingly, the beard of one becomes the hair of the other… This mask is in a rather tragic, classical Baroque style. But on closer inspection, there are more than two faces; there are also profiles. Here is a three-faced Commedia dell'arte mask, this one looking to each side and forward. Smiling, displeased, neutral—it's quite rare. Generally, double-sided masks allow us to express contradictory feelings—joy and sorrow, kindness and cruelty—reflecting our own complex nature. It's up to you to play, to declaim, to dramatize, to live, in fact…