Mask agbogho mmwo Igbo Gabon Wood, pigments... Lot 38

Mask agbogho mmwo Igbo Gabon Wood, pigments H.: 29 cm. This mask with idealized feminine features has an emaciated face painted white, topped with a discoid hemispherical crest cap. This headdress is engraved with circular and vertical motifs imitating curls and braids. The whole is painted in black, red and white. The face is expressive: curved nose, half-open mouth. Beautiful circular black relief tattoos appear at the temples. According to Cole and Aniakor (1984, pp. 120-129), this type of mask was worn by male dancers during a ceremony called Udo agbogho or "the fame of virgin girls" that took place every year in the northern part of Igbo country. The mask represents the young woman in her prime beauty. Object made specifically for colonial trade with obvious decorative interest. Consultant: Jean-Pierre LACOSTE