Igbo mask, Nigeria
16" tall x 10" wide
wood, pigment
SOLD
"The white maiden masks, all danced by men, have super structures of several types, indicating spirit characters of different ages. The eldest
daughter, called Headload because of her mask's large figured superstructure, leads the others. Her younger sisters, following, have elaborate
crested hairstyles and small pointed breasts. All wear bright polychrome appliqué cloth "body suits" whose patterning loosely resemble
monochromatic designs painted on youthful females in the area. Other characters in the drama are a mother, a father, sometimes an
irresponsible son, and a suitor costumed as a titled elder, whose amorous, often bawdy advances to one or more "girls" are invariably rebuffed.
The play unfolds predictably, with the maidens' dances becoming ever faster and more virtuosic as the maskers compete with one another for
audience approval and even financial reward." Source: A History of Art in Africa
Despite its appearance, I believe this beautifully carved mask was made specifically for the collecting market.
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