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Pitt Rivers Museum

2022.58.17

Embroidered cloth face mask.


2022.58.17

Digital asset copyright: Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford

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Collection type
Object
Description
Embroidered cloth face mask.
Long description
Embroidered cloth face mask. A white face mask with a blue embroidered design. In the middle of the mask there are two birds depicted either side of a flower. Surrounding these figures are geometric motifs. The mask has four lengths of material, which can be tied to secure the mask to the face of the wearer.
Geographical reference
Mexico (Place of Origin)
Date
Acquisition information
Purchased: 06/2022
Materials and processes
Material Wood Plant, Material Acrylic Paint Synthetic, Material String, Material Varnish, Process Carved, Process Painted, Process Tied, Process Varnished
Object numbers
Accession number: 2022.58.17
Research and responses

This collection of masks features in ICME news December 2020, To Portray the Virus, p.10-13. The mask is described in the articles as follows: 'In the region known as 'Huasteca', the indigenous population speakers of Nahua, have named the epidemic "cocoliztli" a word that refers to the sicknesses that arrived in Mexican territory from the hands of the Spanish conquerors. Mask designed and elaborated by the Nahua artisan Juan Hernández González, Atlapexco, Hildago, Mexico.'

Associated publications
NPR News, Mexican Masks Portray COVID As A Tiger, A Devil, A Blue-Eyed Man. Cathy Newman, Main author 2021. Page:. Page illustrated:. Catalogue number: Notes: ICME News, To Portray the Virus. Carlos Arturo Hernández Dávila, Main author Blanca María Cárdenas Carrión, Translator 2020. Page:. Page illustrated:. Catalogue number: Notes:

Search terms: Mask