Paul Perez Collection of Masks from Oaxaca, Mexico
Scope and Contents Note
The masks in this collection, with many dating back to the 19th century, represent a number of Oaxacan Indian cultures including the Zapotec, Mixec, Huave, Mixe, Chintal, Zoque, and Chinatec.
Dates
- Creation: collected 1952-1972
Language of Materials
English
Access Restrictions
This collection is closed until further notice.
Use Restrictions
Standard copyright restrictions apply.
Historical Note
In 1952 Paul Perez, a former screenwriter, retired to Oaxaca, Mexico and became a photographer. Over the next two decades he traveled to markets and festivals throughout southern Mexico, especially the Valley of Oaxaca, collecting masks where he could find them. He purchased many masks while others were given to him by his friends. Before retiring a second time and moving to Maine, Perez donated his collection of masks, by way of curator Dudley Varner, who was doing field work in Oaxaca at the time, to the Texas Memorial Museum. The masks arrived at the museum in September 1972.
The Paul Perez Mask Collection was transferred to the Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection in 2013.
Full Extent
178 masks
Abstract
Collection closed until further notice.Masks from the Oaxacan region of Mexico.
Acquisition Information
Information of acquisition method not available.
Accession numbers: 2013-, 2016-43
Processing Information
Collection is unprocessed.
- Title
- Paul Perez Collection of Masks from Oaxaca, Mexico
- Status
- Unverified Partial Draft
- Author
- Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection
- Date
- 2014
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Revision Statements
- 2021 February: Edited by Carla O. Alvarez to fix compliance check errors to prepare for the migration to new TARO website.
- 2021 November: Edited by Devon Murphy to update control access terms and formatting based on the TARO Control Access List.
- 2025 July: Revised by Ryan Sullivant to fix validation errors prior to ingestion into ArchivesSpace.
Repository Details
Part of the Benson Latin American Collection, The University of Texas at Austin Repository
2300 Red River Street
Austin Texas 78712 United States
(512) 495-4578
bensonspecialcollections@austin.utexas.edu