Altar Mask
Igbo · Nigeria
Reference: MSOAL-13
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- Height
- 29 cm
- Material
- Wood and pigments.
These masks are kept in the family altars and are intended to honor the deceased. The white color of the kaolin is the symbol of mourning…
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Full original description
These masks are kept in the family altars and are intended to honor the deceased. The white color of the kaolin is the symbol of mourning and of the deceased. Four rectangular scarifications on the forehead and a rectangular scarification and two round ones next to each ear. Square mouth with large apparent teeth and a vertex pointing to the nose and the opposite vertex towards the chin. A black line comes from each ear to the corners of the lips. Black hair with four parallel semicircular stripes that run through the temples and forehead. These hair stripes mark the dividing line with the forehead.
Further technical information
- Width
- 16 cm
- Attributed period
- First third of the century XX.
Details transcribed from the original catalogue; they are not a recent physical inspection.
Country on the map
Nigeria. The country associated with the catalog is shown, not the current location of the piece.
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Attributions, dates and accounts come from the preserved catalogue. They do not constitute certification of authenticity or provenance. An object’s presence on this website does not mean it is available for sale.
