This traditional Mexican Diablo (Devil) Dance Mask was made from hand-molded terracotta clay and finished with a thick gesso/stucco paste that cracks and calcifies over time.
A mask of this size is typical for active regional festival dances. In Mexico, devil masks are central to events such as La Pastorela (Shepherds' Plays performed around Christmas) or the Danza de los Diablos (celebrated during Corpus Christi or Day of the Dead, particularly prominent in regions like Guerrero, Michoacán, and the Costa Chica of Oaxaca).
The white, chalky, and encrusted texture suggests significant age or heavy exposure to moisture and soil. This is typical of ethnographic pieces that were stored in rural village communal property or earthen-floor storehouses between festival seasons. Because paper-mâché masks degrade rapidly during energetic dances or storage, a single master clay mold like this would be preserved in a workshop for decades to cast hundreds of replacement masks over generations.
Place of Origin: Celaya, Guanajuato, Mexico
Date of Manufacture: 1940s
Condition: Very Good (Considering age and use.)
Wear: Broken ear. Please refer to pictures.
Dimensions: 11.5 in. H X 9 in. W X 7 in. D
Provenance:
This amazing piece of Mexican folk art has been part of the private collection of Dean Warner since he purchased it in-person on-location during the 1950s. Mr. Warner (1931-2025) was a graduate of both Mexico City College and Thunderbird and a noted dealer in Pre-Columbian & Tribal Artifacts. He had galleries in Dallas, Texas and La Jolla, California, a client base that included private individuals and institutions, and served as an authority for authentication. In addition, events during the 1960s and 1970s were held to showcase his Pre-Columbian collection across the United States in retail establishments like Bloomingdales, Neiman Marcus, Shillito's and Higbee's among others.
In retirement, Mr. Warner (T-Bird '57) continued to be an avid collector and served both as the Art Curator for the Thunderbird School of Global Management (now part of Arizona State University) and the Creator/Director of the The Global Market for ethnographic art and gifts which was founded in 1994. Many of the items he collected are now part of the permanent collection of the university.
Reference:
Museum of International Folk Art, Mexican Mask Molds
Mexican Masks, Past and Present: Researched by Emily McClain and Joshua Burd, Missouri State University
Rafael Coronel Museum in Zacatecas Mexico
Mesoamerican Mask Collection at San Diego State University
Explore more Mexican Pottery at Our Taste Design.
