Female helmet mask "ngoin" ("ngon") · Cameroon Grassfields, Kom / Bekom or Babanki · ID: 3046608

Name: Female helmet mask "ngoin" ("ngon")
SKU: 3046608
Price: 2500 EUR
Availability: SoldOut

sold EUR 2,500

Provenance

Johann Lévy, Paris, France

Size

H: 31,5 cm

H: 12.4 inch

Description

wood, colour pigments, base

“Ngoin” represents a woman, the first wife of “kam”, who embodies the male leader. Both mask types appeared together.

The so-called “lineage masks” perform publicly at the commemorative death celebrations of Fons and title-holders and at the kingdoms annual dance, a high point of celebration during the festive cycle of the dry season.
“Ngoin” wears the distinct headdress of royal titled wives. The complete traditional vestment consists of a garment of blue and white royal cloth and a flywhisk. The mask dances in short contained steps appropriate to her noble image. The mask is worn on the head and the wearer looks through a cloth or net head covering.

The object Female helmet mask “ngoin” (“ngon”) with the object ID 3046608 was last part of the auction 94th Tribal Art Auction at March 7, 2020 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 290 achieved a sales price of EUR 2,500.

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

Northern, Tamara, Expressions of Cameroon Art, Michigan 1986, p. 54 ff. Homberger, Lorenz (Hg.), Kamerun, Kunst der Könige, Zürich 2008, p. 97. ill. 60