At 1:37, when she was talking about the "toothless gum," couldn't those indents inside the mouth have been places were there was some type of white stone that were supposed to be teeth?

I think the gums of the mask are far larger than those of real humans -- maybe that was what she was referring to. Or maybe she forgot about the inlay when she compared it to an infant :)

What is the basis for the caption saying "Lacking holes for eyes and nose, it could not have been worn over a living face"? The narrator also says this at 0:41. I totally disagree! Of course it could have been worn! By a dancer or in a procession or even by a static extra in a stage play just standing in place, a mask does NOT require holes for eyes and/or nose to be worn by a living face/person. Someone cannot breath through the space between the mask and the face around the sides of the head?

The masks might have been carried, the way some Greek actors' masks were, and held in front of the face at certain times. They might have been used in parades or ceremonies, or maybe even in plays of some sort.

Why do so many of the curators and analyzers of art all talk in that same way. Are they trying to portray that they are sophisticated?

art curators go to collage probably as much as a doctor and follow studies in many many areas such as anthropology, archaeology, art, art history, studies of peoples, tribes & their history, Plus they're kind of a managerial type person.

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Art of the Americas to World War I

Course: Art of the Americas to World War I > Unit 2

Lesson 7: Olmec

Mask

Google Classroom

Met curator Joanne Pillsbury on immortality in Mask, 10th–6th century B.C.E., by the Olmec peoples of ancient Mexico.

Depicting a typical Olmec face with slanted, almond-shaped eyes and a toothless, slightly downturned mouth, this mask is rendered with simplicity and elegance. Its harmonious proportions are indicative of the sophistication attained by Olmec sculptors. The smooth, highly polished planes of cheek, forehead, and chin plus the almost fleshy quality of the nose and parted lips belie the incredible hardness of the jadeite cobble from which the mask was made. The face itself is neither human nor supernatural but, rather, an idealized type that incorporates otherworldly aspects—such as the mouth, with its reference to the so-called were-jaguar, a powerful mythic being with human and jaguar traits.

Masks of this size in stone have not been excavated in archaeological sites and it is difficult to determine their function. Lacking holes for eyes and nose, it could not have been worn over a living face, but there are attachment holes along the edges by means of which it might have been used as a costume element or adhered as a face to a mummy or a sacred bundle. There is a polished, circular depression on the back of the mask.

View this work on metmuseum.org.

Are you an educator? Here's a related lesson plan. For additional educator resources from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, visit Find an educator resource.

. Created by The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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Ellie Miskimen
Posted 9 years ago. Direct link to Ellie Miskimen's post “At 1:37, when she was tal...”
At
1:37
, when she was talking about the "toothless gum," couldn't those indents inside the mouth have been places were there was some type of white stone that were supposed to be teeth?
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Ellie Miskimen's post “At 1:37, when she was tal...”
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- Миленa
  Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to Миленa's post “I think the gums of the m...”
  I think the gums of the mask are far larger than those of real humans -- maybe that was what she was referring to. Or maybe she forgot about the inlay when she compared it to an infant :)
  Comment on Миленa's post “I think the gums of the m...”
  (3 votes)
Anthony Natoli
Posted 9 years ago. Direct link to Anthony Natoli's post “What is the basis for the...”
What is the basis for the caption saying "Lacking holes for eyes and nose, it could not have been worn over a living face"? The narrator also says this at
0:41
. I totally disagree! Of course it could have been worn! By a dancer or in a procession or even by a static extra in a stage play just standing in place, a mask does NOT require holes for eyes and/or nose to be worn by a living face/person. Someone cannot breath through the space between the mask and the face around the sides of the head?
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Anthony Natoli's post “What is the basis for the...”
(1 vote)
Answer
- Vicki Bamman
  Posted 9 years ago. Direct link to Vicki Bamman's post “The masks might have been...”
  The masks might have been carried, the way some Greek actors' masks were, and held in front of the face at certain times. They might have been used in parades or ceremonies, or maybe even in plays of some sort.
  Button navigates to signup page
  (3 votes)
Maanav
Posted 5 years ago. Direct link to Maanav's post “it was interesting for me”
it was interesting for me
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(2 votes)
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Tyrell Middleton
Posted 7 years ago. Direct link to Tyrell Middleton's post “If not made for just want...”
If not made for just wanting to make a mysterious art piece, could this mask have been used for something? For example, a special event or so?
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(2 votes)
Answer
Patrick Rivera
Posted 9 years ago. Direct link to Patrick Rivera's post “Why do so many of the cur...”
Why do so many of the curators and analyzers of art all talk in that same way. Are they trying to portray that they are sophisticated?
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Patrick Rivera's post “Why do so many of the cur...”
(1 vote)
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- jiffyfox
  Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to jiffyfox's post “art curators go to collag...”
  art curators go to collage probably as much as a doctor and follow studies in many many areas such as anthropology, archaeology, art, art history, studies of peoples, tribes & their history, Plus they're kind of a managerial type person.
  Button navigates to signup page
  (2 votes)
KEYSHAWN698
Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to KEYSHAWN698's post “What did this mask mean t...”
What did this mask mean to the Olmec's.
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(1 vote)
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girmaido
Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to girmaido's post “Did they create this mas...”
Did they create this mask for sacrifice or the king and what is the purpose of the mask
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Patrick Pham
Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to Patrick Pham's post “What is this made out of?”
What is this made out of?
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rick lee
Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to rick lee's post “Did people actually wear ...”
Did people actually wear these MASKS? good luck and good learning
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SweetGirlKrystal
Posted 8 years ago. Direct link to SweetGirlKrystal's post “my first time being here ...”
my first time being here but I have 30 days left to be here im in school and im doing history :)
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Video transcript

This piece immediately appealed to me, because it seemed to be almost modernist in its bold simplicity, and it seemed very straightforward. But what thrills me is that it’s not what you think it’s going to be. This was made about three thousand years ago by artists of the Olmec culture, the first great civilization in ancient Mexico. It is often referred to as a face mask, but if you look at it closely you realize it could never have been worn by a mortal. There are no holes in the eyes or in the nose or in the mouth to allow someone to see or to breathe. There are these little indentations in the eyes, in the mouth, that probably would have held an inlay, probably a shell. So it may have been seen as much more lifelike in antiquity. And it is more or less life-size of a human face. We’re drawn to faces. Being able to recognize a face is one of those fundamental survival skills. You have to understand: Is somebody angry with you? Is somebody intent to do harm? I was particularly struck by the very realistic details of the fleshiness over the eye, the strength of the jawline, and the soft chin. But when you draw in closer, you think, “What’s going on with that mouth?” The downturned edges, the strange sort of toothless gum above it: what is that? Is this the face of an infant? Is it the face of an animal? On the very edges of the lower lip, ever so faintly, you see the incisions of a cleft mark. For the Olmec, that sort of cleft mark refers to the opening of a husk of corn, the preeminent crop of ancient Mesoamerica. The blue-green jade probably alluded to the growing corn, to ideas of fertility, of cyclical life. Jade is very hard to carve. It would have taken untold hours-- percussion flaking, sawing sections down with string and grit, and then endless amounts of polishing. This very, very durable, strong material lasts beyond human lifespan. In that sense, it touches on the great questions. What is our existence about, what can transcend our time and our place?