Lot 89
**First Time At Auction**
Africa, southeast Nigeria, Cross River area, Ekoi peoples, ca. late 19th to early 20th century CE. A carved wooden head, probably representing an ancestor, covered with animal skin (most likely that of an antelope). The skin was viewed as a magical agent to invoke ancestral spirits, in a sense eroding the barrier between living and deceased participants in communal rituals. This particular head boasts several dramatic details including haunting eyes, a meticulously carved elaborate coiffure, and an open mouth with delineated teeth. Perforations around the neck were created for the attaching to a costume. Size: 5.875" W x 10.375" H (14.9 cm x 26.4 cm)
In the southeastern forested area of Nigeria, the Ejagham (Ekoi) people live in a politically decentralized group of villages with several clans united under the leadership of a priest/chief called a Ntoon. The Ntoon conducts the ritual activities of the community, while the political functions are left to various societies of elders and associations of young men organized by age.
Significant art forms of the Ekoi/Ejagham peoples are linked to the institution of the Ntoon as well as male and female associations. Perhaps the best known pieces are the large, skin-covered headdresses (crest masks), which may have one, two or even three faces, and the smaller headpieces, like this example, which may represent a head or an entire figure. Both types were made by a sculptor who carved the form from a single piece of wood and then covered it with soft, untanned antelope skin that had soaked in water for several days to make it more pliable. He next stretched and tacked the skin into place until it dried and became stiff. Details such as eyes, scarifications, and hair were often carved separately and attached to the finished piece. Before they were worn, headdresses were often painted, ornamented with metal pieces, wooden pegs, real animal/human hair, porcupine quills, feathers, and/or feathered rods inserted in perforations at the top.
Provenance: ex-Adeon Gallery, Chicago, IL, acquired prior to 1970.
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#119096
- Condition: Piece shows good age and nice patina. Losses to animal hide, age crack running from crown of coiffure down back of head to the neck, expected surface wear, and traces of white pigment.
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