Mask "mfon ekpo" · Nigeria, Ibibio · ID: 3037169
Description
wood, reddish brown patina, black paint, beautiful modelled face, individual and accurately carved facial features, painted scarifications, slightly dam. (nose), missing parts (backside at the rim), base;
the Ibibio and the Eket developed a more naturalistic style of depicting the human face. Present mask, which fits over the wearers face, belongs to the category of “aestethic” masks, embodying spirits whose physical beauty reflects their high moral standing, in contrast to the fierce, ugly masks “idiok ekpo”.
The object Mask “mfon ekpo” with the object ID 3037169 was last part of the auction 77th tribal art auction at June 28, 2014 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 278.
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.
Expertise
Karl-Ferdinand Schädler, 29.07.2003, Munich
Comparing literature
Lebas, Alain (ed.), Arts of Nigeria in French Private Collections, Milan 2012, ill. 55