Maiden spirit mask "agbogho mmwo" · Nigeria, Igbo · ID: 3051775
Price
EUR 1,000
plus 27 % commission, VAT, transport and insurance
Provenance
Ludwig Bretschneider, Munich, GermanyGerman Private Collection, Munich
Size
H: 62 cm
H: 24.4 inch
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.