Behind the mask: making theatrical faces in the ancient world

6 items

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  Comic slave mask

  This is a terracotta comic mask of a male slave. The mask has two small round eyeholes and a large, upturned mouth hole. The character has long, thick curls, a ‘snub’ nose, a striated beard surrounding the mouth hole, and large dramatic eyebrows. The mask appears to have a whitewash slip overtop which defines the features. Otherwise, the media is a dark green/brown colour. The inside of the mask is very neat and uniform which suggests it may have been mould-made. The mask also has a small suspension hole at the very top of the head.
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  Comic slave mask

  This plaster cast is a replica of an ancient sculpture in the form of a male comic mask used in Greek theatre. The replica is made from plaster and has been brush painted. The face has prominent features highlighted by its bright off-white wash. The mask features accentuated furrowed brows and brow bone, uniform eye holes, a large, wrinkled nose and a wide cut out smile with large textured lips. The hair appears smoothed back and straight or untextured. The replica has leather fastenings on the reverse. The cast also features replicated cracks and fractures based on the original piece. The original sculpture on which this mask is based was found in the ancient agora of Athens. The original sculptural mask may have been an architectural decoration to commemorate the performances that took place in the agora.
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  Roman comic mask

  This is a Roman theatre mask made from terracotta, depicting a male character. It is a beige, almost pink, colour and the terracotta is embedded with various stones, pebbles and other debris. The mask features two uniform eye holes and a hole for the mouth, as well as a small suspension hole just above the character’s forehead. The mask was probably mould-made, which is suggested by the face being so smooth and uniform. The reverse surface is uneven from when the clay was pressed in to the mould, and there are fingerprints on the left reverse as well, suggesting the mask was made by hand. The reverse is very organic and bumpy. The mask appears to represent a male character with long braided hair, visible eye sockets and a nose that seems very flat and worn. The character also has a natural shaped, wide-open mouth.
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  Roman female pantomime mask

  This is a plaster cast copy of an original artefact now held in the collection of the Ancient Agora Museum in Athens. It is a pantomime mask, indicated by its eyeholes and the lack of mouth hole. A mouth wasn't required because these characters did not have lines. The original artefact was found on the site of the ancient Agora, or marketplace, in Athens, and dates to around the first half of the 3rd century CE. The character on this mask is female, identified by her long, wavy braided hair and soft features. She has a large, pointed nose, small, pursed lips, large oval-shaped eyes, and soft furrowed eyebrows. She wears a headdress, which features cracks copied from the original artefact. This mask has leather fastenings attached to the sides of the face and has an extra hole at the top of her head for upper fastenings. The reverse of the mask is very smooth, indicating that it was potentially made using a double-mould system. The mask is a deep purple/brown colour highlighted by a bright white wash of paint which accentuates the textures created in the plaster.
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  Tragic mask

  This is a cast replica of an original ancient bronze sculpture in the form of a Greek theatre mask. The replica has been made with plaster, and painted green and orange to give the illusion of corroded bronze material. The character is male and is depicted with a wide-mouthed tragic expression, a large triangular nose, large eyeholes with eyelids and exaggerated bags under the eyes, dramatic raised eyebrows and a large, highly detailed curly beard. The face also has high prominent cheekbones. The artefact is helmet-shaped, with a full detail of curly long hair at the back, and it is completely smooth and hollow inside. It is curious that the original sculpture is made of bronze and was formed as a helmet. This is an uncommon shape and medium for sculptures of theatre masks. The original of this mask was found in the ancient agora of Athens. An agora is a central community space that accommodated businesses, the arts, sports, religious and spiritual gatherings, and political life in the city. The Athenian agora did not have an amphitheater, so theatre performances in the space would have taken place out in the open. The original sculpture may have been a piece of decoration to commemorate the performances that took place there or perhaps was a votive offering.
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  Tragic theatre mask

  This plaster cast copy of a sculpture in the form of a Greek theatre mask, which depicts a male figure with a tragic expression. This mask is a copy of an original marble sculpture found near the Stoa of Attalos in the ancient agora of Athens, which dates to ca. 1st century BCE. The original sculpture was possibly an architectural element in the form of a theatre mask. The face features large wide eyes, raised dramatic eyebrows, and a large nose which is cut off at the end. The mouth is wide open and hollow, and the figure has a large, detailed beard and moustache. The forehead is wrinkled, and the cheekbones are prominent. There are no cracks on the piece but there is a sizeable chunk taken out of the lower left side of the face and beard. The hair is wavy and curled away from the face.