Yoruba Mask

Superb ancient EPA dance mask. Originating from the Yoruba of Nigeria. Height 97cm. Light wood with a patina of use in ochre, purple, and black on the facial details. The helmet is in the shape of a human face with bulging eyes and an open mouth, surmounted by a figure of a rider. The horse is painted black. The bearded rider sits on a wide saddle, with a stocky body, arms forward, and an exaggerated head with powerful features. He has a beautiful hairstyle with long braids at the back of his neck. There are old losses to both arms and indigenous repairs to the rider's legs and the helmet. This type of mask was worn by Yoruba dancers during ceremonies celebrating fertility, prosperity, and the memory of founding heroes. The equestrian scene expresses the authority and prestige of the chief, the disproportion between the rider and the mount reflecting the spiritual and social primacy of man over animal. Prestigious provenance. The Marceau Rivière Collection, sold at Artcurial on December 11, 2002, was published in Francine Ndyae's *Esprits d'Afrique* (1966), fig. 54, page 62. It was also exhibited at the Caixa Cultural Center in Girona, Fontana d'Os, from December 20, 1966, to February 8, 1997. The Marceau Rivière Collection remains a benchmark in the field of African art. He was only 11 years old in 1948 when he acquired his first piece. The dispersal of part of his collection at Sotheby's in 2019 was an international event. Free worldwide shipping.