JAVA, Indonesia. - Lot 89

JAVA, Indonesia. Dance mask associated with Topeng ceremonies. It depicts a demon head with an open mouth revealing a prominent set of teeth with two feline fangs. The exorbitant eyes, robust nose and strongly marked superciliary arches give the whole an intense, theatrical expressiveness. Polychrome wood, wear marks. Height Height : 23.5 cm In Java's Topeng dance theater, demonic masks with fangs are generally associated with Klana-type figures, incarnations of disproportionate forces, uncontrolled passions and disorder. Their iconography - protruding eyes, open mouth and visible fangs - reinforces the transgressive nature of the character, as opposed to noble, controlled figures. These masks are used in codified performances combining dance, music and mytho-historical stories.