Mask of an Elder
Unknown Artist
1800s
Medium
wood with horsehair
Dimensions
{"mask":{"height":0.203,"width":0.061,"length":0.132},"overall":{"height":0.337}}
Classification
Wood
Department
Korean Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
The Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund
Accession Number
1989.103
About this artwork
The traditional Korean mask dance is a form of drama featuring the wearing of masks such as this one, singing and dancing. It was originally a regional term only applied to mask dances traditional to Hwanghae Province. During the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910), the dance rose to popularity among villagers as a means of self-expression and liberation, often criticizing injustice of society. Talchum: The Traditional Mask Dance of South KoreaSouth Korea offers a vast array of experiences that are both ...