"Igbudu" mask, 1900-1950
Yorubaexpand_more
Wood, pigments, metalexpand_more
Gift of funds from Rebecca and Ben Fieldexpand_more 2019.45
On View in Gallery 250expand_more
If you think that the face of this Igbudu mask looks ugly, you’re not alone. Its Yoruba users in Nigeria have an expression to describe an especially homely person: “O l’oju bi oju ‘gbudu”—"His eyes are like the eyes of Igbudu.” The mask, with its dirty face and misshapen features, is compared to Eshu, the Yoruba god of chaos, and the dancer who wears it on top of his head carries a stick to strike out against onlookers. The ceremony in which Igbudu performs is an important one: called Egungun, and celebrated once a year in every Yoruba community, it remembers and honors the ancestors.
Details
- Title
- "Igbudu" mask
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2019.45
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know
Zoom in on the left to the detail you'd like to save. Click 'Save detail' and wait until the image updates. Right click the image to 'save image as' or copy link, or click the image to open in a new tab.