Mask with hinged jaw "elu"
Nigéria, Ogoni
Vendu
800 €
Provenance
Hans Hess, Basel, Switzerland (1973)Swiss Private Collection
Taille
H: 22,5 cm
H: 8.9 inch
Description
wood, brown patina, black paint, typical “snub nose”, pierced around the rim, min. dam., 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.