Crest / Helmet mask - Mama - Nigeria
06
days
23
hours
12
minutes
23
seconds
Starting bid
€ 1
Reserve price not met
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Selected by Julien Gauthier
A decade of experience in historical arms, armour, and African art.
Estimate € 280 - € 330
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Wooden mask-casque (cimier) from the Mama people of Nigeria, with a height of 230 mm, width 250 mm and length 530 mm, provenance from the Mama of the Bénoué valley, in good condition and sold without a stand.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
Nigeria
Mama
Mask
Height: 230mm
Width: 250mm
Length: 530mm
This wooden mask-crest (or headdress) measuring 23 cm high comes from the Mama people (sometimes called Kantana), an ethnic group living in the upper Benue valley, in north-central Nigeria.
From an artistic standpoint, it is a remarkable example of abstraction and minimalism in West African statuary.
1. Stylistic Characteristics and Aesthetics
Purification of form: Unlike other Nigerian ritual styles that are highly figurative, Mama art favors lines of extreme sparseness. The mask consists of a hemispherical cap designed to hug the crown of the dancer’s head.
Zoomorphic hybridization: The sculpture stylizes the head of a large savannah animal. The front part forms a beak or jagged, open jaw (sometimes recalling a bird or a crocodile), while the rear is topped with two large curved flat horns that almost meet, magnificently depicting the savanna buffalo (Bubalus depressicornis).
Patina: The wood bears a rough, crusty, earthy patina, often linked to the application of red ochre pigments or ritual materials during ceremonies, typical of objects long activated in traditional contexts.
2. Use and Ritual Significance
Among the Mama, this type of mask-crest, sometimes associated with Mangam rituals, serves fundamental social and agricultural functions:
Agricultural cult and earth fertility: The buffalo is a symbol of power, vitality, and a bond with the wild nature. This mask was mainly exhibited during calendar-related agricultural rituals (marking seasons, harvest festivals) to solicit the benevolence of the spirits, ensure crop abundance, and fertility of the village women.
Funerary ceremonies: It also appeared at the funerals of dignitaries or important clan members to channel the energy of the deceased, purify the community, and maintain spiritual order between the world of the living and that of the ancestors.
Dance performance: Worn as a crest atop the head, the mask was complemented by a voluminous costume made of palm fiber or straw that fully covered the dancer’s body, transforming him into a moving spiritual entity during festivities.
Packages are sent Monday through Saturday with a tracking number.
Chronopost delivery within 1 to 3 days in France and 2 to 5 days across the European Union. Delivery for the rest of Europe and the world via Colissimo International.
We speak english.
mask african art African mask art Afrikaans mask art arte de máscaras africanas arte delle maschere africane Afrikanische Maskenkunst
Seller's Story
Passionate about World Arts and more specifically about African Art, we buy from collectors, former officials, military, health workers, public works staff who have worked in Africa and also in Côte d'Ivoire, from antique dealers and traders who roam across West Africa to find quality objects.
It is with pride that we present works that, beyond their power to beautify spaces, invite our collectors to resonate with the richness and depth of human expression through the most authentic art.
At Arts Ethniques Gallery, we have the privilege of offering our visitors an exclusive selection of artworks, all unique and original. Each piece presented is the outcome of a demanding artistic approach, driven by a singular vision and mastered craftsmanship, all elements that guarantee authenticity and value.
The works we offer are not industrial reproductions. They are individual creations, crafted with sensitivity and precision, each bearing its own story, identity and presence. Originality is the very foundation of our commitment to excellence. Thus, every mask and every statue in our collection is the subject of a rigorous selection, in order to preserve their rarity and singularity.
Acquiring a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery means owning a truly unique piece: a creation that embodies both talent, cultural memory and the expressive force of African art. It is also a lasting investment in a work whose artistic and emotional value transcends time.
We guarantee that every work leaving our gallery is an authentic piece, without replicas, bearing witness to the creativity, heritage and passion of the African artists who shaped them.
We invite you to participate in our gallery’s auctions with confidence. Each presented work is an original, unique and irreplaceable creation, selected with the greatest rigor to guarantee its authenticity and artistic value.
Whether you wish to enrich a personal collection or introduce an exceptional artwork into your space, Arts Ethniques Gallery offers a safe, transparent and professional setting to acquire remarkable pieces.
Art auctions are a privileged moment to discover rare works, capable of becoming the heart of a collection. Acquiring a work at our sales is not just buying an object: it is investing in a creation whose aesthetic value and cultural reach reinforce over time.
The pieces presented by Arts Ethniques Gallery testify not only to the talent and vision of the artists but also possess the ability to transform spaces and enrich the gaze of those who behold them.
Participating in our auctions is taking part in a singular experience, where the passion for art meets the rigors of collecting. Bidding on a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery goes beyond a simple transaction: it is a gesture of commitment and appreciation for art in its most authentic form.
We invite you to bid with passion and to join us in this adventure dedicated to discovery, transmission and celebration of art.
Perhaps your next heart piece is already waiting for you."
Translated by Google TranslateNigeria
Mama
Mask
Height: 230mm
Width: 250mm
Length: 530mm
This wooden mask-crest (or headdress) measuring 23 cm high comes from the Mama people (sometimes called Kantana), an ethnic group living in the upper Benue valley, in north-central Nigeria.
From an artistic standpoint, it is a remarkable example of abstraction and minimalism in West African statuary.
1. Stylistic Characteristics and Aesthetics
Purification of form: Unlike other Nigerian ritual styles that are highly figurative, Mama art favors lines of extreme sparseness. The mask consists of a hemispherical cap designed to hug the crown of the dancer’s head.
Zoomorphic hybridization: The sculpture stylizes the head of a large savannah animal. The front part forms a beak or jagged, open jaw (sometimes recalling a bird or a crocodile), while the rear is topped with two large curved flat horns that almost meet, magnificently depicting the savanna buffalo (Bubalus depressicornis).
Patina: The wood bears a rough, crusty, earthy patina, often linked to the application of red ochre pigments or ritual materials during ceremonies, typical of objects long activated in traditional contexts.
2. Use and Ritual Significance
Among the Mama, this type of mask-crest, sometimes associated with Mangam rituals, serves fundamental social and agricultural functions:
Agricultural cult and earth fertility: The buffalo is a symbol of power, vitality, and a bond with the wild nature. This mask was mainly exhibited during calendar-related agricultural rituals (marking seasons, harvest festivals) to solicit the benevolence of the spirits, ensure crop abundance, and fertility of the village women.
Funerary ceremonies: It also appeared at the funerals of dignitaries or important clan members to channel the energy of the deceased, purify the community, and maintain spiritual order between the world of the living and that of the ancestors.
Dance performance: Worn as a crest atop the head, the mask was complemented by a voluminous costume made of palm fiber or straw that fully covered the dancer’s body, transforming him into a moving spiritual entity during festivities.
Packages are sent Monday through Saturday with a tracking number.
Chronopost delivery within 1 to 3 days in France and 2 to 5 days across the European Union. Delivery for the rest of Europe and the world via Colissimo International.
We speak english.
mask african art African mask art Afrikaans mask art arte de máscaras africanas arte delle maschere africane Afrikanische Maskenkunst
Seller's Story
Passionate about World Arts and more specifically about African Art, we buy from collectors, former officials, military, health workers, public works staff who have worked in Africa and also in Côte d'Ivoire, from antique dealers and traders who roam across West Africa to find quality objects.
It is with pride that we present works that, beyond their power to beautify spaces, invite our collectors to resonate with the richness and depth of human expression through the most authentic art.
At Arts Ethniques Gallery, we have the privilege of offering our visitors an exclusive selection of artworks, all unique and original. Each piece presented is the outcome of a demanding artistic approach, driven by a singular vision and mastered craftsmanship, all elements that guarantee authenticity and value.
The works we offer are not industrial reproductions. They are individual creations, crafted with sensitivity and precision, each bearing its own story, identity and presence. Originality is the very foundation of our commitment to excellence. Thus, every mask and every statue in our collection is the subject of a rigorous selection, in order to preserve their rarity and singularity.
Acquiring a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery means owning a truly unique piece: a creation that embodies both talent, cultural memory and the expressive force of African art. It is also a lasting investment in a work whose artistic and emotional value transcends time.
We guarantee that every work leaving our gallery is an authentic piece, without replicas, bearing witness to the creativity, heritage and passion of the African artists who shaped them.
We invite you to participate in our gallery’s auctions with confidence. Each presented work is an original, unique and irreplaceable creation, selected with the greatest rigor to guarantee its authenticity and artistic value.
Whether you wish to enrich a personal collection or introduce an exceptional artwork into your space, Arts Ethniques Gallery offers a safe, transparent and professional setting to acquire remarkable pieces.
Art auctions are a privileged moment to discover rare works, capable of becoming the heart of a collection. Acquiring a work at our sales is not just buying an object: it is investing in a creation whose aesthetic value and cultural reach reinforce over time.
The pieces presented by Arts Ethniques Gallery testify not only to the talent and vision of the artists but also possess the ability to transform spaces and enrich the gaze of those who behold them.
Participating in our auctions is taking part in a singular experience, where the passion for art meets the rigors of collecting. Bidding on a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery goes beyond a simple transaction: it is a gesture of commitment and appreciation for art in its most authentic form.
We invite you to bid with passion and to join us in this adventure dedicated to discovery, transmission and celebration of art.
Perhaps your next heart piece is already waiting for you."
Translated by Google TranslateDetails
Indigenous object name
Crest / Helmet mask
Ethnic group/ culture
Mama
Country of Origin
Nigeria
Material
Wood
Sold with stand
No
Condition
Good condition
Sold by
