| Accession Nr.: | 55.754.1 |
|---|---|
| Type: | mask; religious or cult object; carving |
| Date of production: |
turn of the 19th and 20th century
|
| Place of production: |
Balinese mask (Indonesian: topeng). The mask used for dance rites maybe depicts a demon (Indonesian: raksasa) with bulging eyes, bushy moustache and eyebrows, and a blueish face. The distinctive Hindu-Balinese culture of the Indonesian island of Bali is interwoven by rituals, of which dance movements form an integral part. Their aim is to reconcile evil forces and to restore the balance that is (inevitably) upset again and again.