am1

Identify some of the similarities and differences between masks in Indian genres of performance and those used in ancient Greece and Rome.

There are many similarities and differences between masks in Indian genres of performance versus ancient Greece Rome. For both cultures masks serve as a religious outlet. Even though they are so far away and have different beliefs the masks depicts the same subject matter: Gods and goddesses, animals, royalty, myths, everyday life and sports. For instance, in the Bhagavada Mela one performer spends days in meditation wearing the mask of Narasimha before portraying the role in a yearly festival (Richmond lecture 1/25/12).Jewlry wise they all used gold although indian used more beads and gems (Comparing Art Forms). Both maks are easy to identify as they represent a particular character. Some of the differences are subtle such as what Greeks and Indians used to construct the masks. The Greco-Roman masks were most likely carved of wood, supported by the lack of surviving evidence. Many Indian masks are also carved of wood, though other methods are used such as the clay-over-cloth masks of the Seraikella Chhau tradition (Richmond handout 1/25/11) and other various materials were utilized.

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