Anthropomorphic mask ·  Nigeria, Bini · ID: 3041251

Description

light wood, whitened with kaolin, red and black pigment, small traces of indigo blue, the face framed by raised band, diadem-shaped headdress, separately carved ear-like projections, round ornaments from mirror glass, slightly dam. (forehead), slightly stained;
Himmelheber pointed out, that this mask remotely reminds of the style of the bronze heads of Benin. The “visor”-like framing might be a carved version of the glass bead collars.

The object Anthropomorphic mask with the object ID 3041251 was last part of the auction 84th Tribal Art Auction at November 5, 2016 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 281 achieved a sales price of EUR 1,200.

You can find more Masks and other popular object types on our related topic pages. You may also be interested in our page on African art.

Comparing literature

Himmelheber, Hans, Negerkunst und Negerkünstler, Würzburg 1960, p. 270 f.