Notes

sacred "false face" masks from wood and corn husks, the Inuit carve small masks called finger masks that dancers wear on their hands, the
Navajo and Apache make leather masks for dancing, and the Cherokee would craft gourd masks for storytelling.
In Central European folklore, Krampus is a horned, anthropomorphic figure described as "half-goat, half-demon",[1]who, during
the Christmas season, punishes children who have misbehaved, in contrast with Saint Nicholas, who rewards the well-behaved
with gifts. Krampus is one of the companions of Saint Nicholas in several regions including Austria, Bavaria, Croatia, Czech
Republic, Hungary, Northern Italyincluding South Tyrol and the Province of Trento, Slovakia, and Slovenia.[2] The origin of the
figure is unclear; some folklorists and anthropologists have postulated it as having pre-Christian origins. The Krampus tradition
is being revived in Bavaria as well, along with a local artistic tradition of hand-carved wooden masks.
The Feast of St. Nicholas is celebrated in parts of Europe on 6 December.[15] On the preceding evening of 5 December,
Krampus Night or Krampusnacht, the wicked hairy devil appears on the streets. Sometimes accompanying St. Nicholas and
sometimes on his own, Krampus visits homes and businesses.[4] The Saint usually appears in the Eastern Rite vestments of a
bishop, and he carries a golden ceremonial staff. Unlike North American versions of Santa Claus, in these celebrations Saint
Nicholas concerns himself only with the good children, while Krampus is responsible for the bad. Nicholas dispenses gifts,
while Krampus supplies coal and the Rutenbundles.[16]
A death mask is a likeness (typically in wax or plaster cast) of a person's face following death, often made by taking a cast or
impression directly from the corpse. Death masks may be mementos of the dead, or be used for creation of portraits. Such
casts obviate idealised representations by revealing the actual features. It is sometimes possible to identify portraits that have
been painted from death masks, because of the characteristic slight distortions of the features caused by the weight of the
plaster during the making of the mold. L'Inconnue de la Seine, recorded the face of an unidentified young woman who, around
the age of sixteen, according to one man's story, had been found drowned in the Seine River at Paris, France around the late
1880s.
In a large open-air theatre, like the Theatre of Dionysusin Athens, the classical masks were able to create a sense of dread in
the audience creating large scale panic, especially since they had intensely exaggerated facial features and
expressions.[18] They enabled an actor to appear and reappear in several different roles, thus preventing the audience from
identifying the actor to one specific character. Their variations help the audience to distinguish sex, age, and social status, in
addition to revealing a change in a particular character's appearance, e.g. Oedipus after blinding himself.[19] Unique masks were
also created for specific characters and events in a play, such as The
Furies in Aeschylus' Eumenidesand Pentheus and Cadmus in Euripides' The Bacchae. Worn by the chorus, the masks created
a sense of unity and uniformity, while representing a multi-voiced persona or single organism and simultaneously encouraged
interdependency and a heightened sensitivity between each individual of the group. Only 2-3 actors were allowed on the stage
at one time, and masks permitted quick transitions from one character to another. There were only male actors, but masks
allowed them to play female characters.. the masks were most likely made out of light weight, organic materials like stiffened
linen, leather, wood, or cork, with the wig consisting of human or animal hair.
The most visually arresting features of Chinese opera are the bold & colorful masks worn by the performers. These masks hearken back to
an ancient tradition of face-painting among warriors and, as with war paint, the colors and patterns bear symbolic meanings. The spirit and
personality of each character is effectively color coded. White: sinister, evil, crafty, treacherous, and suspicious. Anyone wearing a white
mask is usually the villain.
Green: impulsive, violent, no self restraint or self control.
Red: brave, loyal.
Black: rough, fierce, or impartial.
Yellow: ambitious, fierce, cool-headed.
Blue: steadfast, someone who is loyal and sticks to one side no matter what.
Additionally gold and silver faces represent mystery and aloofness. Of course the masks are often not real masks on stage but elaborate
make-up and costuming so that the players can sing and pantomime to extravagant and wondrous effect