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THBExhibited Nigerian Ogoni Articulated Mask w/ Pig Tails
Lot 51b
About Seller
Artemis Fine Arts
686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States
Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more
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Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$1,000 - $1,800
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About Auction
Live
By Artemis Fine Arts
Aug 22, 2025
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2025-08-22 10:00:00
2025-08-22 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Indigenous Art - Ralph T. Coe Center, Santa Fe, NM
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/indigenous-art---ralph-t-coe-center-santa-fe-nm-20324
Featuring works of art from the Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a non-profit focused on promoting Indigenous Arts globally. All proceeds from the sale of these items will support future grants to Rehoming Program participants. Artemis Fine Arts info@artemisfinearts.com
Featuring works of art from the Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a non-profit focused on promoting Indigenous Arts globally. All proceeds from the sale of these items will support future grants to Rehoming Program participants. Artemis Fine Arts info@artemisfinearts.com
View Full Catalog (452)
- Lot Description
West Africa, Nigeria, Ogoni people, ca. early 20th century CE. A striking and refined Ogoni wood mask, its compact oval face carved with delicate precision and painted in contrasting tones of chalky white and deep black. The features are both elegant and imposing: narrow, almond-shaped eyes beneath arched brows, a sharply ridged nose, and a small, pursed mouth framed by a bold black border. The coiffure is rendered as a pair of ribbed, horn-like arcs meeting at a central part, echoing the refined hairdressing traditions of the region. Most distinctive is the articulated lower jaw, ingeniously hinged and inset with teeth made from slender splits of bamboo. In performance, the masquerader would manipulate the jaw with his lower lip, producing an animated, almost lifelike effect. Traditionally, such masks were mounted on a conical cap of raffia and cloth that draped over the wearer's shoulders, concealing the head and enhancing the theatrical presence of the figure. Size: 4" L x 5.9" W x 8" H (10.2 cm x 15 cm x 20.3 cm)
Ogoni articulated masks share stylistic affinities with those of the neighboring Ibibio, a reflection of overlapping cultural and artistic traditions. Historical accounts suggest they were worn by junior-level members of masking associations - often age-grade groups - during social entertainments such as Christmas festivities, funerals, and community celebrations. While their precise symbolic meanings remain obscure, the combination of elegance and intimidation in their design hints at layered social functions, possibly blending satire, performance, and the assertion of community values. This example stands as a testament to the Ogoni carver's skill in merging sculptural beauty with mechanical ingenuity, its well-preserved surfaces and functioning jaw capturing the vibrancy of early 20th century masquerade traditions.
Exhibited: 2002, October 3-December 15, "Selections from the Ralph T. Coe Collection of African Art. Allen Memorial Museum," at Oberlin College. Oberlin, Ohio.
Published in the "Selections from the Ralph T. Coe Collection of African Art" at Allen Memorial Museum, Oberlin College as ill. #27.
Provenance: Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, acquired in 2010 via descent; ex-private collection of Ralph T. Coe, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, purchased between 1968 and 1969
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
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#196049Missing one tooth. Chipping to nose and near some suspension holes, as well as scattered small nicks and areas of old, inactive insect damage to surface. Otherwise, nice presentation with impressive remaining pigments and light patina throughout.Condition
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