Archival Note Card | Chinese Opera Masks - #11

Crimson face with heavy brows hides behind a long inky beard.

This archival note card from the chinese opera masks series, no. 11, titled "dueling cobras". It is paper. In many Chinese opera traditions, a red painted face is generally read as loyal and upright and a white one as cunning, though conventions vary by regional style. Vertical card with a bright red mask, black slashes for brows and a tall nose line. A green flower tops the headdress and a blue-striped collar peeks out below the black beard. A column of script runs down the right edge. It is 4.25 inches long and 5.5 high.

Beard so dark it swallows the lower half.