500 Gallery
Timed Auction

November Collection: African Tribal Art

Fri, Oct 28, 2022 02:00PM EDT - Thu, Nov 10, 2022 12:00PM EST
Lot 121

Gelede Helmet Mask w/ Female Figure, Yoruba, Nigeria

Estimate: $1,500 - $3,000

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $10
$100 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$20,000 $1,000
$50,000 $2,500
African Tribal Art: Yoruba People, Nigeria: Gelede mask featuring a female figure seated atop the coiffure of a large female head. Mid 20th Century. Carved wood, pigments and paint. The mask comes with a custom-made steel display stand.

Both the figure and the head bear almost identical tribal scarification marks on their cheeks and forehead. The seated figure wears a painted crown, which shows her status as a queen.

Gelede masks are worn by male Yoruba dancers at festivals honoring the women of the community, living and dead, especially the powerful Great Mothers, including both the elderly women of the community and the ancestors of Yoruba society. Through their movements, Gelede dancers express Yoruba ideals of male and female behavior.

Provenance: Private Collection, Massachusetts, Private collection, New York

Dimensions: 31"H x 9"W x 14"D; 41" on stand.

Condition

Good condition with abrasions and other signs of age and handling. Repair to a stress crack in the lower rim. Please inspect the photos and videos, which supplement the written description and show the condition of this lot.

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https://youtu.be/Ya41vQ56w6M

NOTE: If documentation is not listed, the lot is sold without documents.

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