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Roman or possibly Greco-Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st century CE. Wow! A rare find, a terracotta theatre mask depicting a tragic character with a tranquil face, raised thin eyebrows and mustache, and incised beard and hair below a headband. Incised lines around the upper boundary of the eyes give an impression of thick eyelashes. The eyes and mouth are open and the face curves gently, giving it a fascinating depth. The mouth is filled with small, pebble-like teeth, of which several still remain. One side of the face next to the ear has an incised oval motif. Made from a burnished pale beige and red clay. Size: 7.25″ W x 9.75″ H (18.4 cm x 24.8 cm); 12.2″ H (31 cm) on included custom stand.
Theatre masks worn by actors were made of fabric and painted, so that they were light and easy to remove, while terracotta masks like this one seem to have been either decorative (hung on walls), souvenirs of performances, or votive (given as dedicatory offerings to Dionysus/Bacchus). They helped popularize theatre, especially outside of Athens and Rome, in areas where people had to rely upon traveling productions. Local craftsmen would copy real masks worn by traveling actors to create terracotta ones like this. Real masks were also easily destroyed because of their light materials, and so harder copies like this one could have been used by artisans to recreate originals. Luckily for us today, a few of these terracotta examples have survived, often found in tombs, temples, and private homes.
See a similar style of mask at the British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=464918&partId=1&searchText=roman+terracotta+mask&images=true&page=1
This piece has been tested using thermoluminescence (TL) analysis and has been found to be ancient and of the period stated. A full report will accompany purchase.
Condition: Missing lower part of one ear, upper part of the other ear, and some small fragments from the lower side. Some teeth are lost. One ear has been reattached.
Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; ex-private French collection, acquired in the 1980s; ex-private Belgium collection, acquired in the 1970s
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all purchases.
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