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Mask

A work made of wood and pigment.

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  • A work made of wood and pigment.

Date:

19th/20th century

Artist:

Igbo
Uzouwani village group, Nigeria
Coastal West Africa

About this artwork

Across the Igbo region, masquerade is a major means of communicating with spirits and ancestors, who play an important role in human life. Masquerade is among the major responsibilities of Igbo title institutions, which traditionally confer status and moral, political, and spiritual authority on their members. Sculptural innovation in masks is valued and encouraged within proscribed boundaries. This mask is composed of juxtaposed geometric planes and areas of positive and negative space. Two plump hornbills—ripe with symbolism because of the ease with which they move between land, sky, and water—perch on top of the mask’s plank.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Arts of Africa

Culture

Igbo

Title

Mask

Place

Nigeria (Object made in)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1800–1999

Medium

Wood and pigment

Dimensions

H.: 80 cm (31 1/2 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Richard Faletti, the Faletti Family Collection

Reference Number

2006.110

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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