African Arts Gallery

Shallow, features carved in low relief, this Lele mask is distinguished by its highlighted eyes and mouth and pointed nose. Its smooth, lustrous surface bears a reddish-brown patina, darker in places. Erosions.
The Lélé, close to the Tschokwe and the Pende, live in the west of the Kuba kingdom and share common cultural specificities with the Bushoong of the Kuba country. Both groups adorn their prestige objects with similar motifs. Their society headed by a "nymi" king, includes three classes, that of the Tundu or warlords, the Batshwa ("those who reject the Tundu authority") and the Wongo called by the name of the neighboring ethnic group. The ritual ceremonies are under the authority of the oldest, chiefs of each village who hold the secrets of medicinal plants. These elders once ...

Triangular volume in which the sharp lines affirm a solemn physiognomy. The forehead is underlined with cowries, encrusted in a resinous material, forming linear patterns. These patterns are discreetly repeated on the face, engraved on the surface in a succession of small circles. Interesting oiled brown patina dotted with erosions.
In African art, the Marka , Maraka in Bamana, Warka, or Sarakolé, are Muslim city dwellers of Soninke origin, established in southern Niger, scattered since the end of the Ghana Empire in Mali, Mauritania and Senegal . They now speak Bamana and have adopted many of the Bambara traditions, such as the Ntomo and the Koré, initiation societies that used masks during their ceremonies. The Bambara and Marka African art sculptors are part of the ...

This mask has characteristics common to the Dan and Toma of Liberia. On the protruding forehead is a face associated with "passport masks", miniature masks that function as magical talismans. Institutions such as the Poro male society are used by different tribes on both sides of the borders of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. The youth initiations associated with these associations culminate in festive masked ceremonies. Velvety matte patina.
The Toma of Guinea, called Loma in Liberia, live within the forest, at high altitude. They are renowned for their landai board masks intended to enliven the initiation rites of the poro association that structures their society, and which represent bush spirits. As soon as the landai mask appeared, the initiates would go to the forest to ...

Volute cimiers in the African art of Ejagham/Ekoi

A conical base in basketry rises a wooden head stretched out of animal skin. Its headdress, usually composed of horns in volutes, is here topped with ventrus perosnnages. The dancer's costume consisted of a large lattice of raffia ropes, and more recently, cotton cloth. The masks were coated with palm oil before use, and placed in daylight so that their leather softened and adopted a satisfying luster. Leopard societies, such as the male society Kpe, Ngbe among the Aro, used this model of cimiers for initiation ceremonies or funerals of members of the association, but also during agricultural rituals. The hairstyle would represent that of the young women named Moninkim in the end of their traditional imprisonments during which ...

This anthropomorphic dance crest features a face surmounting a stylized body composed of superimposed arcs anchored on a conical foot. Decorated with field diamonds whose once contrasting colours barely retain polychrome pigments, it remains extraordinarily expressive thanks to a concave face in which the bulging eyelids are modestly lowered. This mask was used during the Ogbom ceremonies. Thick crusty matte patina.
The Ekets are a subgroup of the Ibibio ethnic group known for its expressive masks. These Ogbom cimiers are among the most conceptual pieces of African art and relate to the most modernist expressions of the ancient statuary Eket.Il are open masks with a crusty patina and overhanging a human head. It should be noted that these masks can be feminine or male.

Cut from light wood, these shoulder masks emanating from the Northern Baga and also used by the Nalu have a voluminous head with a buzzed nose evoking a bird's beak surmounting a tubular mouth, a long summit ridge, and wide horseshoe ears. A metal clipping, hidden by the grainy matte patina, highlights the eyes and face on which also emerge chevron stripes evoking traditional scarifications. These masks would embody an idealized baga woman, i.e. principles of fertility and abundance of harvests and occur during harvests, marriages or deaths.
Ex. Belgian collection Mercier.Granular surface, abrasions and desisication.
Mixed with Nalu and Landuman , Baga live along the coast of Guinea-Bissau in flooded swamp regions six months a year. They believe in a creative god called Nagu, ...

Ex Belgian private collection of African art J. Putteneers.

The Wurkum, like the Mumuye, have shoulder masks called Skuwava with an elongated neck topped by a head, sometimes miniaturized. Wurkum pieces are nevertheless more expressive than Mumuye pieces.
These imposing masks were traditionally worn during war preparation ceremonies but are now linked to healing and rain rituals.
These uncommon pieces come from the northern regions of the Benue Valley. The patina is smooth in coffee tones.