Zemanek-Münster

Buffalo mask "nam gbalang" ·  Nigeria, Chamba · ID: 3043354

sold EUR 800
Provenance
Gerard Sand, Brussels, Belgium
Wolf-Bernard Müller, Krefeld, Germany
Size
H: 76 cm
H: 29.9 inch

Description

wood, dark brown patina, red paint, rep. (small breakage), traces of abrasion.
“Nam gbalang” could be translated as something like “unruly thing of the bush”. Each mask has a personal name as well, the male ones (wich are red) being called “chief” something and the female ones (which are black) being called “mother” something. Both colours mean danger since red is associated with blood and black with night and witches. These masks were danced during various ceremonies, e. g. funerals, passage rites, enthronization of a new king.


The object Buffalo mask “nam gbalang” with the object ID 3043354 was last part of the auction 88th Tribal Art Auction at March 10, 2018 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 270 achieved a sales price of EUR 800.

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

Evers, Christophe, Art of the Upper Benue River, Brussels 2003, p. 26


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