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Processional Mask of Hindu Deity

Probably 14th–16th century
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 252
These masks were intended for processional use during Nepalese religious festivals. The lifelike metal face would have been affixed to a mannequin of a god, which was then dressed in textiles and swathed in garlands. The effigies were installed on palanquins and carried by devotees in festive processions. Similar religious displays are practiced by Hindu communities today in Himachal Pradesh in northern India, where such masks are known as mohra

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Processional Mask of Hindu Deity
  • Date: Probably 14th–16th century
  • Culture: Nepal
  • Medium: Repoussé copper alloy
  • Dimensions: H. 5 9/16 in. (14.2 cm); 4 15/16 in. (12.5 cm)
  • Classification: Metalwork
  • Credit Line: Gift of Marie-Hélène and Guy Weill, 1986
  • Object Number: 1986.511.4
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art

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