Description:

**Originally Listed At $200**

Western Africa, Nigeria, Yoruba, ca. mid-20th century CE. A beautiful example of one of the most distinctive forms of West African masks, this helmet mask shows a gentle face topped with an enormous crested and plaited coiffure colored with natural indigo pigmentation. The face exhibits a broad nose, large eyes with drilled pupils, cupped ears, and facial scarification marks across the cheeks and brow, all embellished with faint areas of red cinnabar. A thick neck leads to a conical base with a concave underside, and several drilled holes along the base were intended to hold a wide textile garment. This type of headdress, the Egungun, is meant to embody the force of the ancestors and is worn during a joyful ceremony celebrating the dead. Size: 10.5" H (26.7 cm).

Provenance: ex-Adeon Gallery, Chicago, Illinois, USA acquired prior to 1970

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#130757

  • Condition: Age-commensurate surface wear, with a few stable fissures on side of head and coiffure. Fading to pigmentation, and small chips to ears, coiffure, eyes and base, otherwise intact and very good. Light earthen deposits within recessed areas.

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June 7, 2018 7:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000