Fountain dispenser with theatrical mask; Italy, c. 1930.
Bronze.
Mounted on metal base.
Provenance: private collection conceived from the 1970s between London and Madrid.
Measurements: 42 x 39 x 14 cm.
Fountain spout made in bronze that presents a finish in the form of a theatre mask made in bronze, probably used as a decorative applique. Aesthetically, the work is based on ancient models as this type of piece was very common in the Roman Empire, but also in other cultures that, directly or indirectly, had contact with them. Theatrical masks were common in the arts of the time, and could have a religious significance (linked to a divinity or sacrifice, votive function, etc.) or simply be a decorative motif. Ethnologists place the birth of the mask at the moment when self-consciousness -self-awareness- is produced. Its use dates back to the most distant antiquity, being found among the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. The Greeks used them during the Dionysian festivals; the Romans during the Lupercal and Saturnalia festivals and also in stage performances.