Bamileke mask, Grassland region, Cameroon - Lot 99

Lot n° 99
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Estimation :
300 - 500 EUR
Result without fees
Result : 1 100EUR
Bamileke mask, Grassland region, Cameroon - Lot 99
Bamileke mask, Grassland region, Cameroon H. 46 cm high Situated on the Bamenda plateau, on the heights of the Grassland region, in the North West of Cameroon, the Kom chiefdom coexists among more than 200 chiefdoms. Incarnation and representation of the fon, founder from royalty or notable high dignitary, this Kom mask, combines the power of expressivity with symbolic force. According to Notué, giant helmet-type masks, such as this imposing specimen, "characterized by their often openwork coiffures decorated with zoomorphic figures, only appear at the funerals of the fo and some dignitaries of the chieftaincy, or during certain periodic liturgies. " The extreme stylization of the face, the architectural conception of space and volumes, the play of depth, projections, plans and reliefs, testify to the majestic artistic inventiveness of Kom. The deeply sunken eyelids are surmounted by large half-spherical eyebrow arches, announcing the forehead in relief. Wide-open eyes emerge from the circular eye sockets. The mask is topped by a superb headdress, decorated with three zoomorphic chameleon-like figures. "The role of the chameleon as privileged mediators between men and the invisible world explains their use as symbolic motifs, carrying messages that adorn objects used in ritual ceremonies. The Tshweye chameleon has a role that is sometimes protective and sometimes funereal (B. Maillard, 1984, op.cit., p.178).
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