Vintage Guatemalan Carved Wooden Dance Mask of Pedro de Alvarado from Dance of the Conquest

Very rare, vintage hand-painted, hand-carved wooden mask from Guatamala. This ethnographic,
danced mask depicts the Pedro de Alvarado character from the Baile de la Conquista dance.
Ergonomically carved for comfortable wearing, with eye cut outs so the dancer could see where they're going, painted with beautiful thick polychrome paint with lots of personality and bristles or hair eyelashes added to the eyes.

The Baile de la Conquista (Dance of the Conquest) retells the conquest of the Mayan Empire by the Spanish conquistadors. The leader of the conquistadors in the area now known Guatemala was Pedro de Alvarado y Contreras (1485-1541), who participated in the subjugation of Cuba, Mexico, and most of central America, and eventually the governor of Guatemala. His viciousness made him especially hated by the indigenous population.

The dance began as early as the 16th century, and begins with the arrival of Spanish ambassadors to the K’ich’e king, along with princes and princesses (Malinches). The king seeks support for resistance from the governor of Xelajú, named Tecún Umán, who appears with his lieutenant, Huitzitzil Zunun, and priest, Ajitz. This leads to a battle, in which Alvarado duels with Tecún Umán, who is killed, resulting in the conversion of the conquered K’ich’e people to Catholicism.

For more on Guatemalan masks, see Jim Pieper, Guatemala’s Masks and Drama (University of New Mexico Press, 2006).

Mask shows wear from use, this would have been taken out for decades, reused, repainted, repaired and then eventually retired and sold, it's difficult to determine the age of this mask. It was purchased from the estate of a New York antiques dealer who lived in Guatemala for many years.

M E A S U R E M E N T S
6 1/2”W x 10”H x 5"D

C O N D I T I O N
In good used vintage condition with signs of use and age, the occasional chipped paint, on the mustache and chin, the glass eyes and teeth are dirty, wear around the holes wear the mask would attach to the wearers head. It's since been wired for hanging on the wall and is ready to hang.

please keep in mind when buying any of our items that vintage means they’ve lived long lives before finding their way to you and are preloved unless otherwise specified. signs of wear, use and age are to be expected and add to the character of the piece.

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