Masks and Theatric Jokers

 One of my favorite sections of the collections has jokers with masks, some of which are theatric.  The mask section has recently been divided into this mask theatric section plus the:

-    Archaeological masks
-    Topsy Turvy Masks

 Here's a few images of the masks and theatric jokers. Let's start with the traditional symbols of the theater, the happy and sad masks. Symbol comedy and tragedy.

And two more variations of the masks symbolizing the theater.

 

Picking up the temperature a little, here's a contemporary pair of masked people:  WOW!

This next one is a special lovely lady joker. It works the mask theme to a new level. Notice her shadow, what does it reveal? Is her inner feline nature being picked up in her shadow? What else is hidden behind her mask and little costume.  Is the smoking lamp next to her suggesting that she controls a genie? Is the genie being controlled. It's confusing how I'm suppose to think about  her.  Should I think of her as a juggler? There is a juggler joker section but it is large and a little impersonal for her.  She's also scantily dressed and could fit in the girlie joker section of the collection. But she is in the mask section partially because this is an elite section and I'm partial to her. More importantly, she is both wearing a mask and juggling masks and has a masked theme which more than earns her a spot in the more complex mask and theatrical section. She's certainly theatrical with her spotlight creating a shadow revealing her inner nature, her daemon, her totem...

This next one is mischievous: the joker is clearly having fun and up to no good.  I imagine we could be good friends.

Here too, a sense of humor creeps out from behind the mask.

We're near the end of the featured solo joker show folks. 

Here's an artsy mask joker. When I showed it in the joker collectors group on Facebook, I learned from the wise Tom Van Berkum:  "This mask joker is from the Japanese ‘Mikimoto’ deck made by Nintendo - Kyoto in 1972."

And here are the ensemble shots of my mask and theater section. BTW, I foresee the possibility of splitting this section further into perhaps a theatrical and other mask section soon.

Arguably, there are three jokers on this page below which should be classified in the archaeological mask section. In R2, C3 and in R3, 1 & 3 also.  But, I think in Row 2,  C1 & C3  are a pair and so I have to keep them together. The C1 does belong in this group so here they stay.  The two in R3 however should probably be moved.  uhg.  I have to move them, rebalance the pages in both sections, rephotograph, and upload.  Maybe not today...

For a special treat, here are some shots of one part of my mask collection. Do NOT be confused by the fact that in my mask collection, there is a jester! I know it's confusing to have masks in a joker collection and a jester in a mask collection.  

There are also the two headed mask jokers which are listed in the two headed section.

Another subsection is the Archaeological masks

This article replaces the 2018 article about jokers and theatrical joker cards. (it did include a  video).

  

Jesters that might be related to these through the theatric theme include:

1.  Dancing Jokers; These  are split into 
1. Dancing jokers with Wands who dance in one of three directions: 
1.  To the Right
2.  Straight ahead 
3.  To the Left
   
2. Dancing Jokers with no wands 
2.  Performers with cards or without cards 
3. Juggling things 

There are also all the entertainers, musicians, "show girls" (ie erotica), and clowns who are not unrelated to theatrics. To find them, take a look at  the overall joker organizational system?