Mask with hinged jaw "elu"
Nigéria, Ogoni
n'est plus disponible
Provenance
Sotheby’s London, 14.5.1979, lot 150Taille
H: 43 cm
H: 16.9 inch
Description
wood, slightly encrusted patina, polychrome paint, crowned by a standing figure, both hands pierced (once holding items), rep. (nose tip, right ear), slight traces of abrasion;
“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.