Mask - Nigeria (No reserve price)

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Family mask of the Ogoni people, Nigeria; wood, 30 cm high by 18 cm wide; good condition with some wear and age-related stains.

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Description from the seller



Family mask - Ogoni - Nigeria
Miniature masks, also called 'passport masks,' are sculpted to host ancestral spirits, similar to the large masks.

Their main function is to protect the person who wears it, especially against witchcraft.

But it can also be used for divination or as an altar object for which offerings can be made.

Finally, it allows one to attest the wearer's rank, as well as their lineage, in regions where it is not known. Hence its name, passport mask.
According to Barbara C. Johnson's book "Four Dan sculptors," page 15.

Close to the passport masks, the so-called “family” or “house” masks, slightly larger in size, intended to be hung on the walls of the house.



Family mask - Ogoni - Nigeria
Miniature masks, also called 'passport masks,' are sculpted to host ancestral spirits, similar to the large masks.

Their main function is to protect the person who wears it, especially against witchcraft.

But it can also be used for divination or as an altar object for which offerings can be made.

Finally, it allows one to attest the wearer's rank, as well as their lineage, in regions where it is not known. Hence its name, passport mask.
According to Barbara C. Johnson's book "Four Dan sculptors," page 15.

Close to the passport masks, the so-called “family” or “house” masks, slightly larger in size, intended to be hung on the walls of the house.

Details

Era
After 2000
Material
Wood
Country of Origin
Nigeria
Condition
Good condition - used with small signs of aging & blemishes
Height
30 cm
Width
18 cm
Sold by
FranceVerified
256
Objects sold
92.96%
Private

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