This week we will examine some Animal Faced Masks by Saturnino Valenzuela From the Collection of Barney Burns and Mahina Drees.

The first Pascola mask, a Goat, is old but lacks any documentation. It has elements of Saturnino’s style, but it may not have been carved by him.

The hair was lost long ago, and never restored.

The mouth is very simply carved, for Saturnino. Small holes on the forehead and chin suggest that there was some additional decorative elements.

The forehead cross looks different than the usual Saturnino cross.

The back has extreme staining from use.

The second Goat Pascola mask dates to about 1979, and was collected in 2000. It was definitely carved by Saturnino.

In these views we see a number of typical carved and painted elements.

There is his usual forehead cross.

There are relief carved flowers on both sides.

There are two little teeth in the open mouth.

This mask too has very heavy staining on the back.

The third Goat mask was collected in 1988, after having been danced for an unspecified period of time by Saturnino’s son.

This is an appealing mask.

An atypical forehead cross was probably added later.

The back is moderately stained.

This fourth Goat mask was collected in 1989, after being danced for four months.

This is another set of horns which, like some in an earlier post, were carefully carved to appear to stand clear of the head while maintaining an attachment at the tip that strengthens the horn.

The back of this mask has moderate staining from use.

The last of these masks was collected in 1989, after being danced for 4 months. This appears to represent a burro?

The ears are well carved.

There is a flower on the forehead instead of a cross.

This mask has a humorous face.

The back is moderately stained from use.

Next week we will look at some danced masks by Saturnino from another collection.

Bryan Stevens