Vintage Guerrero Devil Medusa Sirena
Anonymous Artisan
Carved and painted wood
Ht 25" x W.20" x D. 10"
The abundant woodcarvers in the State of Guerrero have been carving masks for dance ceremonies for centuries. Each village has its own dance and festival traditions calling for distinctive masks. Many of the dances introduced by the Spanish with a morality theme involved the Devil. This amazing devil is also a mermaid (sirena) with snake hair from the Greek myth of Medusa. Who knows how this carver came into contact with that myth? Many of the Guerrero wood carvings have surreal qualities.