Maiden spirit mask "agbogho mmwo" · Nigeria, Igbo · ID: 3051775
German Private Collection, Munich
Description
wood, pigments, old collection label “119”, rest., water stains, insect caused damage, base
Only traces of the usual white face painting as a reference to the spirits of the honoured ancestors remain.
The “agbogho mmwo” mask type embodies the ideal image of a woman, both in terms of physical beauty and moral values.
This masks are used mostly during agricultural festivals (usually the dry season), such as the annual “fame of maidens” festival. Also at funerals of important members of the “mmwo” society or in honour of village deities.
The object Maiden spirit mask “agbogho mmwo” with the object ID 3051775 was part of the auction Auction 104 on April 12, 2025, lot number 244 at that time and is currently available for EUR 1,000 in Open sale.
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.