![\"P1290889\"](\"https:\/\/mexicandancemasks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/P1290889.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nThis mask has obvious wear on the face, demonstrating that rough treatment can occur in the revelry of a fiesta.<\/p>\n
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Observe the careful attention Ruben pays to the hair on his masks\u2014many thick bundles. At least four of the brow bundles are missing.<\/p>\n The horns are carved in high relief.<\/p>\n There is no chin cross. This mask is 7\u00bd inches tall,\u00a0 5\u00bc inches wide, and 4 inches deep.<\/p>\n The back demonstrates heavy staining from use. A shoelace serves as the strap.<\/p>\n The second goat mask was new and undanced when I bought it on EBay\u2122 in 2005. I recall that a dealer offered a series of masks by this carver, and I only purchased the best of them.<\/p>\n Yaqui Goat Pascola masks can have either straight or curled horns, and these can be either carved in relief or merely painted on the surface without any change in contour. In this instance the ears as well as the horns are carved in relief.<\/p>\n This mask demonstrates Ruben’s superlative diligence in the installation of the hair bundles, and also illustrates his typical use of color accents to enhance normal painted elements.<\/p>\n This mask is 7\u00bd inches tall,\u00a0 5\u00bc inches wide, and 4 inches deep, just the same measurements as the last.<\/p>\n There is no evidence of use and the mask has only a flimsy strap for hanging.<\/p>\n The third mask came from the same seller as the last, and has similar features.<\/p>\n This mask has an extended tongue.<\/p>\n We see Ruben’s typical cross.<\/p>\n As usual for Ruben, there is no chin cross.<\/p>\n Also as usual, the hair is terrific, with many plump bundles of horsetail. \u00a0This mask is 7 3\/8 inches tall,\u00a0 5 7\/8 inches wide, and 3\u00bd inches deep.<\/p>\n In this case, the name of the carver was written on the back\u2014R Hernandez. There is no evidence of use.<\/p>\n Next I will compare two canine Pascola masks by Ruben which were virtually identical when new. The first of these was collected by Barney and Mahina as a mask carved by Ruben Hern\u00e1ndez in 2001 and danced by Tomas Estrella.<\/p>\n One of the goat masks also has these triangles under the eyes with jagged lower edges.<\/p>\n In this example, the broken ear is associated with very mild scuffing on the tip of the other ear; did the dancer fall? The insects painted on the cheeks are scorpions.<\/p>\n The tongue is a dramatic feature of this mask and the next.<\/p>\n We see Ruben’s characteristic attention to the hair.<\/p>\n This mask shows clear evidence of having been danced, and the color of the broken edge of the ear stands in sharp contrast to the stained rim on the back.<\/p>\n The next mask, which was probably never danced and has intact ears, was purchased from the Gary Collison collection in 2008, after his death. I was surprised to encounter its near duplicate (with the broken ear), eight years later.<\/p>\n I like the painted moths on the cheeks.<\/p>\n These are furrowed tongues. The forehead cross is so characteristic of Ruben’s hand.<\/p>\n This mask is 8 inches tall,\u00a0 5\u00bd inches wide, and 3\u00be inches deep.<\/p>\n I see no staining from use.<\/p>\n I will end this post with three Chango<\/em> or Monkey masks by Ruben, all very different from one another. The first was collected by Barney and Mahina Burns in 2007, after six years use. It was said to have been carved by Geraldo Barcelon, but Tom Kolaz was quick to spot Ruben’s characteristic painting style and you have already seen how different are the Chango masks of Gerardo, in my post of December 5, 2016.<\/p>\n This is a very distinctive face for a monkey mask.<\/p>\n The painting style tells the tale. Then again, this mask also illustrates the range in quality of Ruben’s masks; this one is well carved but the paint is less precise. I am not complaining, as I really like the unusual carving.<\/p>\n This view simply documents that there is no chin cross.<\/p>\n One can readily see that this mask was danced.<\/p>\n The next Chango, which is more typical of Ruben’s style, is another of the group that I selected from an EBay merchant in 2005. It had been attributed to Martin Ram\u00edrez Urbaneso. After last week’s post, Tom Kolaz informed me that Ruben’s full name is Rub\u00e9n Hern\u00e1ndez Urbalejo. All these names!<\/p>\n It is well carved and very well haired.<\/p>\n This mask is 7\u00bc inches tall,\u00a0 5\u00bd inches wide, and 3\u00bd inches deep.<\/p>\n The back, which is also well carved to Ruben’s usual standard, shows no sign of use.<\/p>\n The last Monkey mask, another that I purchased from the Gary Collison collection in 2008, was said to have been carved by Antonio Rosas. It has much in common with Ruben’s masks, yet it is somewhat different from the other two Changos. Maybe Ruben has different product lines for different markets.<\/p>\n The teeth are defined by carved gaps, while Ruben is usually content to paint the lines between the teeth. The heart-shaped face is also distinctive, and benefits from the choice of such vivid orange paint.<\/p>\n This mask has been haired with very dark horsetail.<\/p>\n This mask is 7\u00bd inches tall,\u00a0 5\u00bc inches wide, and 3\u00bd inches deep.<\/p>\n The shape of the back is also slightly different from those above. There is no evidence of use.<\/p>\n I hope that you have enjoyed seeing these masks by Ruben Hern\u00e1ndez and perhaps others. Next week I will introduce you to the masks of Frank “Chico” Mart\u00ednez of Old Pascua, a Yaqui barrio within the city of Tucson, Arizona.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Today I have the great pleasure of showing some animal masks by Ruben Hern\u00e1ndez. Some belong to Mahina Drees Burns and others are from my collection. I will start with three goats. The first, which is obviously worn, had been … Read More <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n