Vintage Guatemalan Torito Bull Mask – Hand-Carved Wood Folk Art Dance Mask with Horns

A striking hand-carved Guatemalan torito (bull) mask with a black face, pale muzzle, red flared nostrils, and a wide red mouth. Sun symbols mark each cheek, red-and-white zigzag bands frame the face, and two carved wooden horns are pegged through the heavy brow. Square eyeholes sit just under the brow, and the weathered, darkened interior shows its age.

A bit of history: The torito is the star of Guatemala’s Baile del Torito (Dance of the Bull), a masked dance performed by Maya communities in the highlands, where costumed cowboys try to tame the bull. Museum collections hold K’iche’ Maya torito masks with the same black face, long horns, and rectangular eyehole carved above the face.

Details: Carved and painted wood, pegged wooden horns, cord hanger. Approx. 7 x 6 x 5 in, including horns.
Condition: Good vintage condition with paint wear and scuffs, light chipping on the horn tips, and age wear inside. Please see photos.