Four Mask Designs
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-520-4
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
### Four Mask Designs Johann Leonhard Eis, a German artist (1672–1733), created *Four Mask Designs* around 1720–25, during the late Baroque era opulent theater and festive traditions flourished across Europe. This print, now in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collectionpurchased by the Advisory Council), capturesler's skill in designing masks—likely for theatrical performances, carnivals, or court masques. These enigmatic faces embody the period's dramatic exaggeration, blending fantasy with human expression to enhance stage illusions. As a print, the work highlights the era's innovati...