Mask, Probably Guangxi, Southern China; Late 18th–early 19th Century

Mask Depicting Sanjie Gong (三界公) — The Lord of the Three Realms
Stuccoed and polychrome hardwood, very old brown patina, signs of internal wear.
Probably Guangxi, Southern ChinaLate 18th – early 19th century -
Dimensions: 27.3 × 17 cm
Sanjie Gong, “Lord of the Three Worlds,” is a major protective deity honored notably in the Nuo (傩) and Dixi (地戲) traditions of Guangxi, particularly among the Maonan people. There, he is regarded as a benevolent deity of the highest rank, protector of villages, families, harvests, and the overall balance of the ritual world.
His worship is linked to major communal ceremonies, particularly village festivals where protective powers are invoked to secure peace, prosperity, fertile lands, and harmony between humans and spirits.
More than a god of a single element—water, earth, or the moon—
Sanjie Gong appears as a broad, overarching guardian figure, standing above the realms of the visible and invisible worlds.
This mask features a youthful, almost meditative face, with half-closed eyes and a slightly parted mouth. The dark headdress, styled like an inverted, tiered turban, enhances the figure’s dignity. The very ancient brown patina, the slightly flattened nose, and the gentle contours of the face give this work a rare inner presence, somewhere between rustic nobility and sacred power.