Máscara Geledé - Yoruba - Benín

In Benin, the mask consists of two parts: one reproducing the human face, worn on the head, and the other covering the body. The costume is made of brightly colored fabrics. The mask, with its highly expressive features, has a pronounced prognathism, large open eyes with pupils marked from the outside, and lips cut vertically at the corners of the mouth, a characteristic feature of the Yoruba. The head is topped by a superstructure in the form of a headdress, which the craftsman, giving free rein to his imagination, has carved with motifs. mouth, characteristic of the Yoruba people. The head is topped by a superstructure in the form of a headdress in which the craftsman, giving free rein to his imagination, has carved symbolic motifs combined with anecdotal scenes from everyday life. The masks of Benin are adorned with strips that reproduce the motif of the snake, to which a particular cult is dedicated.

Provenance: Berthe Hartert collection,
Argiles Collection, Barcelona