carnival mask

Moulded leather face mask, painted, with hair beard, moustache and eyebrows.

Worn as part of costume in cinco de mayo festival which re-enacts the victory of Mexicans over the French in 1862. Masks like this are worn as part of a festival that takes place at Huejotzingo, on Shrove Tuesday, where Mexicans defeated French soliders in 1862. This mask represents a french solider but there are masks to represent both groups. Re-enactment of the battle happens over the whole town. The different groups can be identified by the different colours and styles of beards, moustaches, and eyebrows.

object
MUSEUM NUMBER
HC.1999.1570
COLLECTION
MEASUREMENTS
overall: 230 x 148 x 123 mm
MATERIAL/TECHNIQUE
leather, hair
CATEGORY
Education Handling Collection: Anthropology
LOCATION
In storage
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Collection Information

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