Rare masque facial anthropomorphe "eku" · Nigéria, région de la vallée de la rivière Bénoué, confluence Niger-Bénoué, Ebira (Igbira) · ID: 3046978
n'est plus disponible
Provenance
Phlippe Ancart, Brussels, BelgiumJean-Pierre Jernander, Brussels, Belgium
Description
wood, kaolin, animal teeth, base
This mask probably appeared during a mask festival called “ekueci”, where the deceased returned to enjoy the hospitality of the living.
This night festival marked the end of the transition period from one year to the next. Women were strictly excluded from this festival, where different types of masks appeared.
Littérature comparée
Berns, Marla C. et. al., Arts of the Benue River Valley, Los Angeles 2011, p. 156, ill. 4.28