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West Africa, Nigeria & Benin, Yoruba peoples, ca. mid 20th century CE. A handsome example of a hand carved, wooden mask known as an egungun, in the form of a long-snouted, large-eared animal that seems to blend antelope and primate features. A rounded base that is made to sit on the head is below the neck. Egungun means masquerade, and masks like this one were made to be worn during the Odun Egungun festival, performed to venerate the ancestors. Size: 7.1″ W x 9″ H (18 cm x 22.9 cm)
Condition: Some age cracks in the wood, notably on the base and on the ear. Surface wear commensurate with age, with light deposits on surface.
Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-Erica Weingast collection; ex-David Axelrod collection
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