123 - Rare pair of Nuo masks depicting Tudigong and Tudipo

Rare pair of Nuo masks depicting Tudigong and Tudipo Wood, traces of polychrome paint, original patina, and signs of internal wear. China, Guizhou Province. Presumed date: 18th or early 19th century. 21 x 17 cm; 24 x 15 cm Provenance: Yves Créhalet Collection, Paris. This pair depicts Tudi Gong, god of the earth and harvests, and his wife Tudi Po, protective figures of the village community. In the Nuo traditions of Guizhou, rooted in a shamanic heritage, these figures embody wishes for prosperity and happiness, blending sacred presence with the familiarity of popular theater. Created by the same sculptor, these two masks are distinguished by their rounded, benevolent faces, the quality of their modeling, and their signs of internal wear, evidence of repeated use during ceremonies. According to our research, this pair is, to date, the only one of its kind that we have identified featuring Tudi Gong and Tudi Po carved by the same artist. The sculptural coherence of the two masks, their provenance, and their presentation at the exhibition at the Musée Jacquemart-André—where Tudi Gong appears on the cover of the book published for the occasion—make this set a unique pair within the corpus of Nuo masks. Exhibition: Masks of China: Magical Rites of Nuo, Jacquemart-André Museum, Paris, March 14–August 26, 2007. Publication: Yves Créhalet, *The Mask of China: Nuo Masks, or the Hidden Face of the Last Empire*, photographs by Luc Berthier, Actes Sud, 2007. The Tudi Gong mask is reproduced on the cover.