Magnificent helmet - Igbo - Nigeria (No reserve price)

This type of mask represents the ideal of beauty for a young Ibo girl. It served as much to celebrate femininity and motherhood as to honor the ancestors. Fertility, both agricultural and human, is a notion you find in nearly all West African cultures. This superb Ibo mask is topped with a crest reminiscent of the elaborate hairstyles of young women. The finesse of the features of this kaolin-painted face is a beauty criterion particularly valued among the Ibo. Very fine scarifications and facial paints highlight the beauty of this idealized face.