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323 - NIGERIA. Anthropomorphic Ejagham mask, first half 20th centu…
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Estimate €1,500 - €2,000
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Description
NIGERIA. Anthropomorphic Ejagham mask, first half 20th century. Size: 40 x 43 cm. This skin-covered wooden mask, representing an African crest, is an exceptional example of the Nkowe warrior society of the Ejagham, an ethnic group in the Ekoï cultural complex. The mask, characterised by two back-to-back faces - one blackened, the other yellowed - reflects a concern for naturalistic fidelity, with open mouths and visible teeth, as well as tattoos marking the face. This type of mask is associated with the dance rituals and art of the Ekoï, a people located in south-eastern Nigeria, in the Cross River region, and in western Cameroon. Provenance : - Alain Dufour - Galerie Afrique, Saint-Maur/Ramatuelle, France - Lucien Van de Velde, Antwerp, Belgium, circa 1970 - Count Baudouin de Grunne, Belgium, 1975 - Sotheby's London "Primitive Art", July 1975, Lot 175 - Prof. Pol-Pierre Gossiaux, Belgium - Bernard Descamps, Artist-Sculptor, Belgium - Stephane & Etienne, Loiseau - Zajega, Belgium Publication : Expo Cat, Ekoî, Paris Tribal, 10Eme édition, 2023, P.20-21. Literature: Ekoi, Karl-Ferdinand Schaedler, Panterra Verlag, Munich, 1984. Further study of the Ejagham masks: These details add to our understanding of the ritual tradition associated with Ejagham masks. They develop certain technical and symbolic points essential to the interpretation of this ritual work. Spotlight on the Ejagham minutia: this skin-covered wooden mask is an extremely rich piece of work, both technically and symbolically. It is part of an age-old ritual tradition in which the covering process - exclusive to the Ejagham/Ekoi traditions - symbolises an essential duality. The visuals show that the two-faced representation - one dark, the other light - is not accidental. This play of contrasts underlines the desire to convey a naturalistic fidelity by capturing distinctive and expressive features. These iconographic details contribute to the very identity of the mask, attesting to its role in the rituals associated with Nkowe warrior society. The two faces, one blackened and the other yellowed, reflect a highly naturalistic approach to the representation of the opposing forces of life and death, central to the rituals of Nkpwe warrior society. The use of ritual markings - such as tattoos and open mouths showing teeth - reinforces the sacred nature of the mask, which is not content to be a work of art, but becomes an instrument of mediation between the material world and the spirit world. This valuable information confirms the findings of Karl-Ferdinand Schaedler in Ekoi, Panterra (1984), and confirms the uniqueness of this technique, while illustrating the importance of the cultural and ritual context of the Ejagham. So, both technically and symbolically, this mask represents a unique contribution to the history of art.
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About the sale ARTS OF AFRICA & OCEANIA: Three exceptional family collections
Auction location
Auction time 06/22/2026 at 2:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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