Woman's mask - Tikar - Cameroon

05
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Starting bid
€ 1
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Dimitri André
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Selected by Dimitri André

Holds a postgraduate degree in African studies and 15 years experience in African art.

Estimate  € 800 - € 900
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Description from the seller

In Cameroon, the Tikar people were considered excellent bronze workers, working closely with artists from the kingdom of Benin. The beauty of the design and their extraordinary modeling and casting (3 mm thick) give these pieces great quality. The masks were cast using the lost wax process: the artisan prepares a model in clay covered with wax, surrounds this model with a thin layer of potter's clay and then with coarser clay; once the clay is dry, it is poured through holes left for this purpose, and the molten bronze causes the wax to melt, which drains through channels made for this purpose, leaving a crucible that is gradually filled with the molten metal. When the craftsman considers that the entire mold has been filled, after it has cooled, he breaks it, obtaining an exact replica of the wax model, which has disappeared, hence the name “lost wax.” Each piece is unique.

Provenance: Private collection, France
Argiles collection, Barcelona

In Cameroon, the Tikar people were considered excellent bronze workers, working closely with artists from the kingdom of Benin. The beauty of the design and their extraordinary modeling and casting (3 mm thick) give these pieces great quality. The masks were cast using the lost wax process: the artisan prepares a model in clay covered with wax, surrounds this model with a thin layer of potter's clay and then with coarser clay; once the clay is dry, it is poured through holes left for this purpose, and the molten bronze causes the wax to melt, which drains through channels made for this purpose, leaving a crucible that is gradually filled with the molten metal. When the craftsman considers that the entire mold has been filled, after it has cooled, he breaks it, obtaining an exact replica of the wax model, which has disappeared, hence the name “lost wax.” Each piece is unique.

Provenance: Private collection, France
Argiles collection, Barcelona

Details

No. of items
1
Ethnic group/ culture
Tikar
Country of Origin
Cameroon
Period
Mid 20th century
Material
Bronze
Sold with stand
No
Condition
Good condition
Title of artwork
Woman's mask
Height
45 cm
Provenance
Private collection
SpainVerified
2
Objects sold
Private

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