The idea of using a neutral mask to train actors was first introduced by Jacques Copeau at The Theatre du Vieux Columbier. Copeau started with hoods, moved to a blank form and then discovered the need for a mask that represented neutrality. His students carried this idea away from his school. It was Jacques Lecoq along with the Italian sculptor Sartori who fully developed the methods and the neutral mask itself for actor training.

The neutral mask is a mask of calm. It is without expression and represents a being that has no past and no thought of the future. It exists only in the present. The mask is used to help the actor understand and develop a heightened sense of discovery, awareness of the space, a greater presence and a profound awareness of self. It is an extraordinary tool for actor training.