Nuo (nuoxi) theater mask in polychrome carved wood. Presented on a patinated brass base. The deity is depicted with a wrathful face and bulging eyes, In recent decades, Nuo masks and documents attesting to the existence of such masks have been unearthed throughout China. Additionally, the masks which have been passed down from generation to generation, now circulate among people or are collected by Nuo actors and artists. The collectors’ taste for Chinese masks seems to have played a role in spreading the term “Nuo” throughout the world. Through its use, not only does the term become known and commonplace, but masks take on a broader meaning than mere mobile artefacts. Representing or substituting for complex theatrical forms, these masks are collected for both their ritual aspects and entertainment functions.
