Elephant mask "ntshen"
Cameroon Grassfields, Babanki
sold
EUR 2,000
Provenance
probably Gottfried Künzi (1920-1979), Oberdorf / Solothurn SwitzerlandMartin Gross (1922-2017), Biel, Switzerland (1968)
Size
L: 79 cm
L: 31.1 inch
Description
wood,
Among the peoples of the Cameroon Grassfields, the elephant, like the leopard, is considered a royal symbol. The use of an elephant mask is therefore a special privilege reserved only for certain lineages (kinship groups).
Wherever the elephant masks appear, they perform as so-called leader masks and occupy the second most important position after the human “kam” mask. In keeping with their status, the mask dancers move with dignity and deliberation.