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Description

A Yoruba Mask, "gelede" Yoruba, Nigeria Mit Sockel / with base Wood. H 28 cm. Provenance: - Imelda and Paul (1924-2014) Berger-Frei, Riehen. - Berger-Frei community of heirs, Basel. Anyone affected by illness, infertility or other misfortune tries to appease the "mothers" by making sacrifices if the oracle has identified witches as the cause, while at the same time fighting the illness with herbs and seeking further protection in the form of amulets. However, society as a whole can also offend the "mothers" by tolerating misbehavior, and the community cannot protect itself with amulets. The gelede covenant offers protection against the witches, not by fighting them, but by inviting the "mothers" once a year (or as often as necessary) to a feast in their honor, where all wrongdoing in the community is exposed, condemned and ridiculed. The gelede Bund is led by women, with the men acting as dancers, singers and helpers. Although there are many different local variations of the gelede festival, the basic structure is the same everywhere. It begins in the evening with a performance by a singer called efe and continues the following afternoon with the gelede festival itself, which includes numerous masked dancers. It is mainly dedicated to fun and entertainment. Dozens of masked dancers perform short, spirited dances alongside the drummers, sometimes alternating in pairs. The gelede masks, which are always shaped like a human head, are worn in such a way that the dancer can see out from under the edge. This basic mask is usually topped by a superstructure with a wide variety of depictions, in the design and execution of which the woodcarvers outdo each other in virtuosity. The dancers' traditional costumes include numerous headscarves and women's scarves, and they also wear leg rattles around their ankles. Further reading: Lawal, Babatunde (1996). The Gelede Spectacle. Washington: University of Washington Press. CHF 400 / 800 Weight in grams: 1091 Condition: Broken vertically into two halves and joined together. Most of the crown-like structure above the forehead is missing. -------------------------------- The condition (any wear, signs of use, cracks, any other damage and signs of age, etc.) of this lot can be seen in the photos we have uploaded for your documentation. If you have any questions about this item, please do not hesitate to contact Hammer Auctions ([email protected]). The information regarding the condition of the items provided for the convenience of interested parties is an opinion only and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Hammer Auctions accepts no responsibility for any errors or omissions. In the rare event that the item does not match the description in the catalog, Hammer Auctions is here to help. Buyers may return the lot for a full refund provided they notify Hammer Auctions within 5 days of receiving the lot.

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A Yoruba Mask, "gelede" Yoruba, Nigeria Mit Sockel / with base Wood. H 28 cm. Provenance: - Imelda and Paul (1924-2014) Berger-Frei, Riehen. - Berger-Frei community of heirs, Basel. Anyone affected by illness, infertility or other misfortune tries to appease the "mothers" by making sacrifices if the oracle has identified witches as the cause, while at the same time fighting the illness with herbs and seeking further protection in the form of amulets. However, society as a whole can also offend the "mothers" by tolerating misbehavior, and the community cannot protect itself with amulets. The gelede covenant offers protection against the witches, not by fighting them, but by inviting the "mothers" once a year (or as often as necessary) to a feast in their honor, where all wrongdoing in the community is exposed, condemned and ridiculed. The gelede Bund is led by women, with the men acting as dancers, singers and helpers. Although there are many different local variations of the gelede festival, the basic structure is the same everywhere. It begins in the evening with a performance by a singer called efe and continues the following afternoon with the gelede festival itself, which includes numerous masked dancers. It is mainly dedicated to fun and entertainment. Dozens of masked dancers perform short, spirited dances alongside the drummers, sometimes alternating in pairs. The gelede masks, which are always shaped like a human head, are worn in such a way that the dancer can see out from under the edge. This basic mask is usually topped by a superstructure with a wide variety of depictions, in the design and execution of which the woodcarvers outdo each other in virtuosity. The dancers' traditional costumes include numerous headscarves and women's scarves, and they also wear leg rattles around their ankles. Further reading: Lawal, Babatunde (1996). The Gelede Spectacle. Washington: University of Washington Press. CHF 400 / 800 Weight in grams: 1091 Condition: Broken vertically into two halves and joined together. Most of the crown-like structure above the forehead is missing. -------------------------------- The condition (any wear, signs of use, cracks, any other damage and signs of age, etc.) of this lot can be seen in the photos we have uploaded for your documentation. If you have any questions about this item, please do not hesitate to contact Hammer Auctions ([email protected]). The information regarding the condition of the items provided for the convenience of interested parties is an opinion only and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Hammer Auctions accepts no responsibility for any errors or omissions. In the rare event that the item does not match the description in the catalog, Hammer Auctions is here to help. Buyers may return the lot for a full refund provided they notify Hammer Auctions within 5 days of receiving the lot.

Estimate 400 - 800 CHF
Starting price 5 CHF

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For sale on Wednesday 28 Aug : 18:00 (CEST)
basel, Switzerland
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