87 - Helmet-mask with an ape-like face

Helmet-mask with an ape-like face Wood, remnants of red ochre pigment. Original brown patina, cracks, erosion, and small areas of loss; signs of wear. Mumuye, Nigeria. 13 x 38 cm Two large, protruding eye sockets, separated by a central ridge, dominate this mask, while the mouth juts out prominently. Reduced to a few bold forms, the ape-like face takes on an almost surreal quality. This mask belongs to the tradition of Mumuye zoomorphic masks, associated with initiation rites. The monkey mask was often paired with the buffalo mask, which it was presented as the “wife” of, even though both were worn by men. Comparative reference: Saint Louis Art Museum, Monkey Mask, Mumuye, Nigeria, inv. 47:2008. Similarities in the treatment of the eye sockets and muzzle, despite differences in proportions; the museum’s example retains its fiber covering.