20th C. African Ibibio Painted Wood Ekpo Mask- Lot 110a, Auction 6/6/2019
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20th C. African Ibibio Painted Wood Ekpo Mask- Lot 110a, Auction 6/6/2019

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Western Africa, Nigeria, Ibibio peoples, ca. early to mid 20th century CE. A wonderful, hand-carved wooden mask with an offset ovoid mouth and bared teeth, a triangular nose, recessed eyes, and a bulging forehead, all painted in dark-brown pigment with areas of red pigment surrounding the mouth. The carved areas between the teeth are colored with chalky white kaolin pigment. Several perforations line the periphery in order to attach a large textile costume. The Ibibio live in southeastern Nigeria on the Niger River Delta. Wealth in this society came largely from the sale of palm oil and the social dominance of certain individuals was reinforced through ritual dances that incorporated masks like this one. Some of these masks, however, also had spiritual significance. By being painted in a dark color (idiok), masks like this example represented the souls of evil people condemned to suffer as ghosts. Custom museum-quality display stand included. Size: 6.375″ W x 9.5″ H (16.2 cm x 24.1 cm); 14″ H (35.6 cm) on included custom stand.

Condition: Small losses to some peripheral perforations, light wear and fading to applied pigmentation, and small nicks to eyes, nose, mouth, forehead, and peripheries. Nice earthen deposits and traces of pigmentation throughout.

Provenance: private Los Angeles, California USA collection; ex-Serge Schoffel collection, Brussels, Belgium; ex-Lionel Adenis collection, France

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

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