Doe and Hope

Description

The life size set plaster moulded life mask, very well cast of a young to middle-aged gentleman, showing his features in serenity, the whole with a superb patina and surviving from the early part of the twentieth century and probably of English origin., being later mounted to a block oak stand.

In original condition the mask remains in one piece though it has been repaired with a crack to the neck, please see photographs for a visual reference. We would think this damage occurred when it was mounted to the oak block stand. It has a very good patina compared to others seen on the market. There is a mark '91' to the reverse which could be an inventory number most likely, as this is well defined if it is a copy number. We haven't seen this mask before on the market.

Having the same concept as death masks, life masks are an impression or cast of the face of a person, usually made by oiling the skin and taking a plaster cast of the features.. They have been in existence since the time of Tutankhamun, whose solid gold burial mask is an object of extreme beauty and superstition.

A very finely cast mask, with a level of patina beyond the usual standard we have come across before.