Green Ceramic Apotropaic Mask, Gennaro Condurso, Italy

An expressive ceramic wall mask from Seminara, the renowned pottery village in Calabria, made by Gennaro Condurso, a member of a ceramic family that has produced traditional pottery for generations.

Dimensions: height 22 cm, width 15 cm, depth 6 cm.

This mask is entirely hand-formed and glazed in deep shades of green, ranging from emerald green to dark sea green, with subtle darker nuances in the glaze. The bright red tongue creates a striking contrast with the glossy green surface. The open mouth, hollow eyes, pronounced nose, rough modelling and multiple horn-like shapes give the piece an intense, almost mythical presence.

In Southern Italy, such masks are known as maschere apotropaiche: protective masks traditionally hung on houses to ward off evil, misfortune or the evil eye. They belong to an old folk tradition in which ceramics, symbolism and decoration come together.

The back is signed by the artist and has an opening for easy wall hanging.

Today, this mask is a striking decorative wall object: powerful, playful and authentic. Beautiful as an expressive accent among ceramics, folk art, wabi-sabi objects or contemporary art.