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• Carnival
• Mask
• Woodworking

DOVE

Schignano (CO), Lombardia - Italia

CHI

Passini Luca
(sculptor of wooden masks)

Peduzzi Battista
(sculptor of wooden masks)

Peduzzi Sara
(sculptor of wooden masks)

Wooden mask sculptors of Schignano

The masks worn during the carnival of Schignano are made by local sculptors. They characterize two main categories of characters of the carnival ritual, The Fair and The Ugly. They are hollow in order to cover the face completely; the mouth is slightly open showing some teeth with two holes for the nostrils. At the height of the cheekbones there are two holes in order to hang the mask. The size of the mask varies from about  35 to 20 cm. The size does not only depend on the size of a person's face but also on the kind of subject sculpted.
Some display the name of the owner and/or the sculptor on the inside. The masks of The Fair display a character with defined masculine traits while not being a caricature. The face is marked with wrinkles and has a fairly stern look.
The stylistic differences depend on the sensibility of the sculptor but do not vary in the general characteristics linked to the carnival character. The masks of The Ugly have completely different stylistic elements. This is clear in the caricature of the facial traits: crocked or deformed noses, twisted mouths, protruding tongues. 
Walnut wood is used to make the masks being ideal for its toughness. The colour of the wood and the presence of knags at times inspire the artist to define a particular sculpture with the end result of a mask with a simple polishing the way they were done traditionally. Si utilizza legno di noce, tecnicamente adatto per la sua durezza. Nonetheless masks can be of different colours: from the shades of ochre to black, dark brown, green and also dark grey.
Once maturing has taken effect a block of wood is roughhewed. After that the mask -  tirée – is sketched on the wood. The sculptor then uses a hammer and a chisel of about 3,5 cm for the first part of the job. The piece of wood is then placed on a block or fixed to a wooden structure to allow the artist to stand while working on the mask. A narrower chisel of about 2 cm is used once the form of the mask has been defined. For the details on the face it is custom to start with the nose: this allows having certain reference points regarding the width and the length of the face. After that details of the eyes, lashes, lips and wrinkles of the face are carved. Tools used are with a curved blade as well as tools normally used when working with wood. In the final stages of sculpting it is important to pay attention to the thickness of the mask in order to avoid piercing it. Once the final touches are in place holes for hanging are added and the mask is smoothened with sand paper and polished.

APPRENDIMENTO E TRASMISSIONE

Many sculptors are self-taught or have learnt the art of mask making from local old sculptors.

COMUNITÀ

The role of the wooden masks is preserved and vital thanks to the important role in the carnival ritual. The masks are worn by all the characters of the carnival that traditionally turn to local sculptors for them. The masks are jealously conserved and kept by the families of the village that use them to dress up and participate in the ritualistic carnival.

• Testo disponibile in:
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• DEU

Beni immateriali collegati

Carnival in Schignano

Per sapere di più

Bibliografia

• Sordi Italo
  Como e il suo territorio - Il carnevale di Schignano e le sue maschere
  Silvana 1978
  

A cura di

Regione Lombardia - Archivio di Etnografia e Storia Sociale - Agostina Lavagnino

Data di pubblicazione

13-NOV-2013 (Agostina Lavagnino)

Ultimo aggiornamento

18-SET-2015

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