A beautifully crafted, expressive mask from the Ife culture.

The face is carved with a slight deviation from symmetry, which lends it a subtle sense of vitality within its idealised form. Unlike previously known masks, this one features different perforations: on the right-hand side of the face, they run from the ear to the upper lip, whilst the left-hand side has no holes. This is unusual because it is not intended for weaving in a beard, as is the case with other masks of this type. On closer inspection, it is conceivable that this is a female portrait and that the perforations are intended for attaching a single-sided ornament, as is known from cultures as far afield as Asia.

There are further holes along the hairline, where a head covering was presumably attached. Another unusual feature of this type is its surface. Beneath the patina, brown patches are distributed across the entire outer surface in such a way that they are somewhat reminiscent of a leopard’s coat or a camouflage pattern. The white patches, which at first glance look like unfortunate splashes of paint, have been applied deliberately. However, it is not clear why.

As already described in relation to other masks, this type is not suitable for wearing. It is not possible to see out through the slits beneath the eyes from the inside in such a way that one could move about. The unusual idea arises that the observer of a figure wearing this mask is meant to believe that they are being watched by it.

Cp.:
Stefan EISENHOFER: Rätselhafte Meisterwerke. Die Kunst aus Ife, in: Ife, Akan und Benin. Westafrikanische Kunst aus 2000 Jahren, Pforzheim 2000, S. 20/ 21.
Frank WILLETT: Ife. Metropole afrikanischer Kunst, Bergisch Gladbach 1967, S. 33.
Ekpo EYO, Frank Willett: Kunstschätze aus Alt-Nigeria, Mainz 1983, S. 99.