YORUBA HELMET MASK, EPA, NIGERIA Wood H.... - Lot 152 - Giquello

Lot 152
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Estimation :
10000 - 15000 EUR
YORUBA HELMET MASK, EPA, NIGERIA Wood H.... - Lot 152 - Giquello
YORUBA HELMET MASK, EPA, NIGERIA Wood H. 135 cm Provenance : - Loudmer (Paris), June 22, 1984, lot 58 - Private collection Important Yoruba mask surmounted by an imposing figure of a horseman. The mask itself forms a helmet with a stylized face on both sides. The head is surmounted by a circular plate on which the horse is standing. Apart from its relatively small size, it is represented in a naturalistic way. The rider is shown seated, with short legs and a straight chest, his face turned towards the sky. He holds the reins in his left hand and a scepter in the other. His headdress extends to the horse's rump. The whole is covered with ochre pigments, enhanced in places by a darker color and circular patterns. Every two years, the Yoruba, and more precisely the Ekiti and Igbomina sub-groups, organize festivities during which the Epa masks appear. These ceremonies and processions aim to ensure prosperity and fertility while honoring the ancestors. There are several types of masks, including one representing the warrior-rider Jagun Jagun who, according to legend, defended the town of Efon Alaiyeee against an enemy attack in 1880.
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