Western Africa, Nigeria, Yoruba peoples, ca. early 20th century CE. A small, finely-detailed, hand-carved wooden face mask with almond-shaped eyes, a prominent nose, open mouth with stylized teeth, and lengthy scarification marks across both cheeks. The majority of the face is colored with a jet-black pigment, with bright yellow paint accentuating the scarification lines, and a light-red hue used to emphasize the lips. Atop the broad forehead and around the peripheries are several small perforations from which a larger fabric costume would hang. Egungun means masquerade, and masks like this one were made to be worn during the Odun Egungun festival, performed to venerate the ancestors. Custom museum-quality display stand included. Size: 5.25" W x 7.25" H (13.3 cm x 18.4 cm); 10.25" H (26 cm) on included custom stand.

This type of mask is typically used near the city of Oyo, in southwestern Nigeria, for celebrations and festivities pertaining to Egungun, the god of the ancestors. Egungun masks are used to celebrate male ancestors and honor their memory. Although each mask is given an individual name, it does not in actuality refer to a specific individual or a member of one’s lineage. Rather, Egungun masks are associated with a collective understanding or force generated by the ancestral spirits.During one of the annual Yoruban festivals, all members of the Egungun cult appear to celebrate their ancestors with an honorary festival. The Yoruba believe that ancestors will bless their living descendants if honored correctly, bringing about good health, reinforcing the moral behaviors of society, and dispel any negative spirits or witchcraft from the community.

Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-Bruce Frank collection, New York, New York, USA

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#132029

Expected age-commensurate surface wear, small chips to nose, mouth, and top of periphery, fading and discoloration to pigmentation, otherwise excellent. Nice earthen deposits and craquelure to pigmentation throughout.