Vintage Guatemalan Monkey Mask | Humor & Perspective
Vintage Guatemalan Monkey Mask | Humor & Perspective
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Not every meaningful mask was meant to protect. Some were meant to make the community laugh. In Highland Guatemalan festival traditions, the monkey often appears as a comic or satirical figure, carrying mischief, humor, and the useful reminder not to take human seriousness too seriously.
Hand-carved by an unknown workshop artisan in Chichicastenango, this mid-20th-century mask has a rounded snout, projecting red cheeks, an open mouth, black crown, cream linework, red-rimmed eyes, and a green-and-red floral muzzle. Surface wear and paint aging remain visible, and the construction is consistent with morería workshop production.
Details
- Character: Monkey, comic figure
- Artist: Unknown workshop carver
- Origin: Chichicastenango, Quiché Highlands, Guatemala
- Material: Hand-carved wood with polychrome paint
- Date: Estimated mid-20th century, approximately 1940s–1970s
- Condition: Vintage surface wear and paint aging
- Symbolism: Humor, mischief, satire, and perspective
- Availability: One available
A home does not only need symbols of strength and protection. Sometimes it needs a reminder to laugh.
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