Pair Of Mahakala Wrathful Deity Masks

Modeled, polychrome papier-mâché. The fiercely expressive faces feature a frontal third eye, bulging eyes, an open mouth revealing dentition and are surmounted by a crown of five skulls, a characteristic attribute of the protective deities of Tantric Buddhism.

The pair is distinguished by contrasting polychromy, one of the masks treated in red, the other in dark blue, colors associated with the wrathful manifestations of the protectors of the Buddhist pantheon.

These masks, made using a traditional technique of coated and painted papier-mâché, are intended for Cham monastic ritual dances, ceremonies in which monks embody protective deities in order to drive away harmful influences and purify the sacred space in regions of Tibet and Nepal.

Height: 18 cm each