mask
Chinese. Stickers on back, ceramic/paper mask with beard.
- Object: mask
- Artist: -
- Circa: 1975
- Dimensions: 19cm x 11.5cm
- Culture Area: Asia
- Cultural Group: China
- Cultural Context: General Zhang Fei mask (Beijing Opera) the color black in this mask speaks of his neutrality and impartiality, firm and just "Zhang Fei's face mask in the Chinese Opera is painted like a butterfly, funny and cute. In many styles of Chinese Opera, Zhang Fei is a figure in comedy, so the mask shows his typical character. However, in the story of Two Generals, which is about a fighting between Zhang Fei and Ma Chao, Zhang Fei is brave and reckless not funny at all. So Shang Heyu, a famous actor, designed another mask of Zhang Fei for this drama. There is another drama in Peking opera named Making White Robes. Guanyu was dead in the battle with Dong Wu, Liu Bei and Zhang Fei vowed painfully to revenge for Guan Yu. The actors playing Zhang Fei in the Making White Robes always use the same smiling masks, which is obviously funny. It seems that it is necessary to redesign a "crying" mask for Zhang Fei." (http://quyi.chinesecio.com/en/article/2009-12/28/content_97032.htm)
- Donor: Elizabeth Richardson (mother), Maury & Resa Dance
- Catalog #: 115.071