Sardinian Mamuthones — Carnival Mask Procession
179.01 €
The Mamuthones of Mamoiada in Sardinia during the Carnival procession — the carved wooden masks, the sheep-bell burden strapped to their backs, their shuffling ritual march through the village streets in February.
Description
The Mamuthones of Mamoiada, Sardinia, are among the most ancient and visually striking carnival figures in Europe — masked figures wearing 30 kilograms of sheep bells strapped in layers across their backs, whose shuffling dance makes the bells ring in a coordinated crescendo. The masks — hand-carved from alder wood in the specific Mamuthones style — are painted black and cover the full face; the fur coat and black headpiece complete the costume.
This image was made during the February Carnival procession on Mamoiada’s main street, the Mamuthones in their traditional shuffling advance between the Issohadores who control them with rope lassoes. Shot at 1/250 second on a 35mm prime, the shallow depth of field of f/2.8 focuses on the lead Mamuthone while the procession recedes behind in soft definition.
