94 - Ritual sculpture of the Mumuye people. Nigeria, early 20th century.

Ritual sculpture of the Mumuye people. Nigeria, early 20th century. Carved wood. Measurements: 59 x 15 x 15 cm. Provenance: Estate of Ramon Martí Alsina and Ricard Martí Aguiló. Artistic and heritage collection originating in the legacy of Catalan painters Ramon Martí Alsina (1826–1894), a seminal figure of 19th-century Catalan Realism, and his son Ricard Martí Aguiló (1857–1935). Passed down and enriched across successive generations, the collection brings together works from the original holdings of both artists alongside acquisitions made by their descendants. Dedicated to preserving and recovering the family legacy, the descendants actively reacquired works by the painters as they entered the market, progressively expanding the collection to encompass paintings, sculptures, archaeological artifacts, and other items of artistic and historical significance. The Mumuye are the largest tribal group in Taraba State, Nigeria, although they also extend into the neighboring state of Adamawa. They also inhabit part of the Republic of Cameroon. They are a farming and herding people, and they still keep most of their ancestral traditions and rites alive today. Their religious beliefs are based on ancestor worship, with ancestors venerated in the “tsafi,” a house where their skulls and images are kept. This cult includes mask dances performed by the men of the community, whose primary purpose is to consult the ancestors regarding the fertility of the fields.