Mask with Horns c. mid 20th century

This striking mask with horns was crafted by an anonymous artist out of clay, though the time and place are unknown. It’s intriguing how the clay is built up, almost like coils, to create the horns and the swirling patterns around the mask's edges, forming a frame for the face. This layering gives the mask a tactile quality, as if the artist worked the material intuitively, letting the form emerge from the process. The color palette is earthy, yet there’s this surprising pop of bright hues in the snakes wrapping around the mask. These are rendered in blues, reds, and yellows, which contrast playfully with the darker clay. It feels like a conversation, a dialogue between tradition and something more spontaneous. In the grand scheme of things, art, like life, is about embracing the unexpected and finding beauty in the rough edges. This mask is a testament to that.