Body mask "aboyun" · Nigeria, Yoruba · ID: 3039952
not available anymore
Size
H: 53 cm
H: 20.9 inch
Description
wood, matt greyish brown patina, black paint, indigo blue pigment, bulging abdomen of a pregnant woman with prominent navel and large breasts, incised diamond-shaped tattoos, slightly dam., cracks, abrasion of paint, traces of old age and weathering;
the body mask is worn together with a “gelede” helmet mask and cloth costume. The mask type is called “aboyun” = “the pregnant one”. It is worn by male dancers, who appeal for fertility for their women and appears at annual celebrations of the “gelede” society.