Sri Lankan Mask
Dublin Core
Title
Sri Lankan Mask
Description
This Sri Lankan mask does not represent a specific individual but instead depicts a character from a masked performance, one of many personas in the ceremonial folk drama called Kolam. Many centuries old and still performed today, Kolam has three main types of characters; the supernatural, the human, and the animal. For the viewing audience, human masks often portray recognizable characters from Sri Lankan society, such as the king and queen, the soldier, the traveling merchant, the moneylender, or the villager. This mask would transform its wearer into a merchant. Carved from blocks of wood, Kolam masks are brightly painted with unique patterns of colors based on sex, age, and position in society.
Creator
Kolam Mask Maker
Source
Mr. Joseph WInterbotham
Date
Added to collection in 1934
Contributor
Curated by Matthew Mason
Format
Wooden mask with layers of painted features
Type
Image
Identifier
1934.7.19
Coverage
Island of Sri Lanka
Still Image Item Type Metadata
Physical Dimensions
Height: 25.5 Centimeters
Width: 21 Centimeters
Depth: 11.5 Centimeters
Width: 21 Centimeters
Depth: 11.5 Centimeters