Topeng Mask

Balinese

Bali

Mask (topeng) as a product of fine arts is not only used as decoration, but also as the equipment of dance and theatre in some performances. In Malang, which is famous for its dances, lots of Topeng are made to use for the performance of an opera or “wayang topeng”. Topeng stories are drawn from the literature, genealogical histories of important noble families and are set in the villages, kingdoms and temples of Bali. The medium of a mask play necessarily alters the telling of history. The borderline between fact, legend, and the miraculous has little importance in Topeng, in which many episodes include divine intervention or acts of magic. The aim is not to reconstruct exact personalities of the past, but to portray their types: sweet or manly, heroic or simple-minded. The noble characters, usually a king and his family, dance in the refined style. Their stature is so lofty, they do not deign to speak and express themselves only in pantomime. Along with the nobility and clowns there is always a marvelous display of crude caricatures, whose sole function is decorative and entertaining.

Masks like this one are a replica of the original masks. These are carved to be sold to merchants and tourists in markets.

Wood

Height : 9″ (22.9cm)