Mask From Yunnan, Southwest China; Late 19th–early 20th Century

Mask depicting Tudi Po (土地婆) — The Wife of the Earth God

Polychrome wood, original brown patina, signs of internal wear, small chip on the back.

Yunnan, Southwest ChinaLate 19th – early 20th century
Dimensions: 21 × 11.3 cm
"Tudi Po is the wife of Tudi Gong, the God of the Earth; both are honored in the Nuo (傩) and Dixi (地戲) ceremonies. Associated with the protection of women, pregnancies, and agricultural work, she complements her husband’s benevolent actions and plays a role in prayers for fertility, prosperity, and family harmony.
In folk traditions, the couple formed by Tudi Gong and Tudi Po is not confined to solemnity. They joke, quarrel, and bring a familiar and comical dimension to the ritual.
Some pieces even depict several of Tudi Gong’s wives, each with a distinct personality, to humorously convey the tensions and aspirations of domestic life. The small round bun, the delicately sculpted face, the wide-open eyes, and the slightly parted lips combine here to create the image of a gentle and reserved young woman. Far from the wrathful figures of the Nuo (傩), Tudi Po embodies a discreet protection, focused on birth, the earth, and the continuity of life."
Sold with a certificate of authenticity and invoice from Galerie Ocarina.
* Exhibition fees upon request