Mask with hinged jaw "elu" · Nigeria, Ogoni · ID: 3036800

Name: Mask with hinged jaw "elu"
SKU: 3036800
Availability: Discontinued

not available anymore

Provenance

Emil Storrer, Zurich, Switzerland

Size

H: 39,5 cm

H: 15.6 inch

Description

wood, matt encrusted greyish brown patina, box-shaped superstructure with calabash (?), pierced around the rim, min. dam., small missing parts through insect caused damage (back, superstructure), cracks, traces of abrasion, base;
“elu” masks are worn by young men of the “ogoni” secret society. They were attached to a cone-shaped fibre and cloth cap. The corresponding costumes varied. The small caricatures represent different characters. In a funny or tragic way they illustrate oral traditions in stories and songs.

The object Mask with hinged jaw “elu” with the object ID 3036800 was last part of the auction 77th tribal art auction at June 28, 2014 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 324.

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.