Lot n° 98
Estimation :
300 - 400
EUR
HEAUME SOWEI MENDE, SIERRA LEONE
Wood with black patina, upholstery nails,
H. 38 cm
A helmet mask with a ringed neck, a traditional sign of opulence and beauty in vernacular culture.
Under the high forehead, a small, slightly modelled face is depicted, with slit eyes allowing the gaze to wander. The hairstyle, covering almost the entire work, is made up of a succession of locks, braids and small curls in successive registers. Tapestry nails complete the ensemble.
Linked to the powerful secret society of the Sande, this type of mask, representing a ngafa ancestor intercessor of men in the afterlife, was worn during processions intended to structure society.
(accidents, restorations)
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