44 - HELMET-MASK WITH SUPERSTRUCTURE, EPA - Ekiti Region, Nigeria - Yoruba

HELMET-MASK WITH SUPERSTRUCTURE, EPA - Ekiti Region, Nigeria - Yoruba Mid-20th century. Wood, pigments (charcoal black, white kaolin, blue). Dimensions: H. 160 cm. A complex architectural composition carved across three superimposed circular levels, depicting a form of social hierarchy. The upper level features the chief, represented by an important dignitary wearing a tall, flanged miter. He firmly holds the reins of his mount in one hand and a scepter or spear in the other. The lower levels consist of a group of standing or seated figures (servants, musicians, offering bearers, and guards), present to glorify the power of the central chief. Epa masks are among the heaviest and most spectacular in West Africa (weighing over 30 kg). Worn by strong young men during annual festivities celebrating the harvest and honoring ancestors, they require true acrobatic feats. Condition: Signs of wear. Research and documentation: Coryse Mwape – Art historian specializing in ancient African art. Internal ref: 1058