Wurkun shoulder mask, Nigeria - Lot 170

Lot n° 170
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Estimation :
1400 - 1800 EUR
Wurkun shoulder mask, Nigeria - Lot 170
Wurkun shoulder mask, Nigeria Wood Height: 133.5 cm Provenance: French private collection Emblematic of the artistic tradition of the Middle Benue, this mask is a rare and representative example of the limited corpus of shoulder masks from this region. combining stylized aesthetics and symbolic power. The body is represented by an elegant arch, extended by a long cylindrical neck and surmounted by a small, well-profiled head. a small head with a strong profile. The head is adorned with a crest at the top. The face, framed by circular ears, features small pierced eyes and a beak-like mouth. while the cheeks are adorned with geometric keloids. The wood has a dark, crusty patina, with cracks attesting to its age and use. age and use. Reddish pigment highlights underline the neck and head. These high, vertical crests personify the ancestral spirits of a clan, powerful protectors of the group; they were kept in the hills, hidden from the view of outsiders; they appeared at festivals twice a year, in June before the rainy season. in June before the rainy season, and again in December after the harvest. must first observe sexual abstinence for several days (Central Nigeria Unmasked: Arts of the Benue River Valley, Fowler Museum at UCLA, 2011, "Embodiments Large and Small: Sacred Wood Sculpture of the Wurkun", Joerg Adelberger p. 432/433)
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