Pan Performance Mask
Handcrafted · Made to order · Price on request
A horned, bearded mask of Pan, with curling dark horns, strongly drawn brows and a mane-like surround. Four Archaeopolis archive photographs show the same mask worn in performance, from a close view with pipes to wider ensemble scenes.
The mask in performance
The photographic sequence documents how the face works with the performer’s body, music and costume. The close view shows the facial modelling and horns; the other views show the mask with pipes, a frame-drum player and a mythological ensemble. These are multiple views of one design, not four different masks.
Historical and archaeological context
Pan’s recognisable features
The Metropolitan Museum’s Marble mask of Pan, accession 2002.284, is Roman and dates to the first century CE. Its surviving horns, bristling hair and beard identify the rustic deity. The museum traces Pan’s cult to the herdsmen of Arcadia and describes his later presence in the imagery of Roman villas and gardens, alongside Dionysian figures.
This ancient decorative sculpture provides a comparison for the horned and bearded face. It was made in marble and should not be understood as a wearable stage mask or as the exact prototype of the contemporary Archaeopolis object.
Mythological identity in a contemporary object
The Archaeopolis mask makes Pan recognisable through its horns, beard and surrounding hair. The archive adds direct evidence of its contemporary performance use. Its colour, construction and exact facial design belong to the modern interpretation; materials and fit are agreed for each commission.
Your commission
Available by enquiry for a mask commission. Tell us whether the piece is intended for performance, a display or a production. Materials, measurements, fit, fastening, finish and delivery schedule are agreed before ordering. The quotation concerns the mask; any costume, musical instrument or other prop shown in an archive scene is discussed separately.
MADE BY HUMAN HANDS
Every Archaeopolis object is handcrafted.
Made by people, with time, care and individual attention.