The work was donated to the city of Forlì by Raniero Paulucci di Calboli in 1931, together with six other sculptures by the same author. The Mask of Pain was the first work created by Wildt after the serious existential crisis that hit him in 1906 and which ended only three years later. The three crosses engraved on the bottom plate allude to these three years of pain. The deeply sunken face, with empty eye sockets and half-open mouth, expresses pure despair.

Texts: Lorenza Montanari, Martina Neri - Museums Unit of the Municipality of Forlì