A hand-carved wooden ritual mask from the Himalayan region, depicting the wrathful Buddhist protector deity Mahakala. The piece is constructed from a single block of wood and finished with polychrome paint and gilded highlights. The iconography includes three bulging eyes, an open mouth with exposed fangs, and a crown composed of five human skulls, representing the transmutation of the five negative afflictions into wisdom. The face is bordered by stylised flame motifs and features oversized spiralled ears. The reverse displays evidence of hand-tooling with a dark aged patina and a central aperture for mounting.
Share this lot:
