Wood, pigment, kaolinexpand_more
The Christina N. and Swan J. Turnblad Memorial Fund, The William Hood Dunwoody Fund, and gift of funds from Bob Ulrich and The Regis Foundationexpand_more 99.165
The filed upper teeth and black headdress indicate that we’re looking at a high-ranking woman of Yombe society. Because this highly realistic mask shows her as an ancestor, her face is painted white, the color of the supernatural. When worn by a male dancer during ritual ceremonies, the spirit of the deceased woman would appear from the otherworld to bring fertility, appeasement, and wellbeing to the living.
This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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