Unique Ceramic Apotropaic Mask, Gennaro Condurso, Italy

An expressive ceramic wall mask from Seminara, the well-known ceramics village in Calabria, made by Gennaro Condurso, a member of a ceramic family that has been producing traditional pottery for generations.

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

This mask is entirely hand-shaped and glazed in clear shades of blue, with soft grey-white nuances and a vivid red tongue. The open mouth, hollow eyes, pronounced eyebrows, horn-like forms and rough modelling give the piece a powerful, almost mythical presence.

Such masks are known in Southern Italy 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 reverse is signed by the artist and has an opening for hanging, making it easy to place on the wall.

Today, this mask is a striking decorative wall object: playful, expressive and authentic. A strong accent piece among ceramics, folk art, wabi-sabi objects or contemporary art.