Cabinet V: Shelf 3

African Masks and Masquerades

The objects in this case might seem whole and complete, but an argument could be made that they are no more than fragments of the larger artistic and ritual traditions of which they were originally part. Whether used in initiation ceremonies or during funerary rites, masks were always part of a performance in which music, dance, motion, costume, sound, smell, and the play of light and shadow all contributed to the overall effect. The multi-sensory spectacles that are masquerades include the architecture and physical space of the village, the spectacle of story and music, the scenes and steps of the performance, and the active participation of the audience.

Masquerade performances can serve a variety of functions in African cultures. They might reinforce social norms and moral ideals, as in the case of the Kuba mask called “Ngaady Mwaash,” a female mask whose fluid gestures and graceful performance style form a stark contrast to the aggressive style and flamboyant leg and torso movements of her male counterpart. The masks and masquerades of the culturally, ethnically, and politically diverse Igala state in Nigeria, on the other hand, represent the spiritual relationship among living members of the community and the ancestors, while also evoking the connection between the monarchy and the indigenous population. In contemporary society masks have also acquired new meanings as ethnic symbols. Whether alluding to social roles or moral and religious truths, masquerading performances also delight and entertain their audiences; in new global contexts many of them even do so as revenue-generating practices performed for tourists.

A small, oblong shaped mask with mirrors in the eyes and on the cheeks. The mask is dark in color, with a raised forehead ridge and small slits above the mirror-covered eyes. The nose is long and twists to one side of the face. 
Ibibio
Mask
wood, paint, and mirrors
7 9/16 in x 5 7/8 in x 4 in (19.21 cm x 14.92 cm x 10.16 cm)
Gift of Prof. and Mrs. Horace M. Miner
Concave, ovoid maskette with kaolin covering surface of surface of face. Minimal rendering of facial features: raised, tapered wood strip for nose; narrow, oviod, horizontal eyes; open, ovoid mouth with some striation around interior edge.
Lega
Bwami Society Maskette
wood, kaolin
7 11/16 in x 6 3/16 in x 2 1/2 in (19.5 cm x 15.7 cm x 6.3 cm);7 11/16 in x 6 3/16 in x 2 1/2 in (19.5 cm x 15.7 cm x 6.3 cm)
Gift of the Friends of the Museum of Art in memory of Diana B. Fox
Kuba
Royal Mask (Ngaady a Mwaash)
wood, polychrome, glass beads, cowrie shells, cotton cloth and string
14 in x 7 3/10 in x 11 in (35.56 cm x 18.57 cm x 27.94 cm);14 in x 7 3/10 in x 11 in (35.56 cm x 18.57 cm x 27.94 cm);21 ⅝ in x 6 3/10 in x 7 ½ in (54.93 cm x 16.03 cm x 19.05 cm)
Gift of Al and Margaret Coudron
Dark colored mask with an ovoid shaped head. The face has incised parallel striations, round white eyes with open crescents below, round ears, a small nose and a small mouth. The coiffure is composed of parallel ridges circumventing the entire head. There are two holes around the bottom edge of the mask, one in the front and one in the back. 
Igala
Helmet Mask
wood and kaolin
12 1/2 in x 9 in x 9 in (31.75 cm x 22.86 cm x 22.86 cm)
Museum purchase made possible by the W. Hawkins Ferry Fund, James and Vivian Curtis, and David L. Chambers and John G. Crane
Carved wooden mask in the form of a oval-shaped face. The eyes are set close together with a small nose and mouth. The center of the face is sunken while the chin and forehead are raised. There are three small squares next to either eye and horizontal grooves on the forehead. 

Mask
wood
14 3/16 in x 7 5/16 in x 8 1/4 in (36.04 cm x 18.57 cm x 20.96 cm)
Gift of Prof. and Mrs. Horace M. Miner
Bornean
Mask
wood and metal?
10 7/8 in x 5 15/16 in x 4 5/16 in (27.6 cm x 15.1 cm x 11 cm)
Gift of Senator Jack Faxon
Wooden mask in the form of a female head. The face has traces of white pigment and the lips, nose, eyebrows, and chin are defined with black pigment. There are three small dots in a column on each side of the face. The hair is decorated with spiral designs. Four conical protrusions topped with knobs form the crest of the hairstyle, while four spiral cones curve down from the crest on either side of the head; the two closest to the front on each side are connected at the bottom.
Igbo
Mask
wood, white and black pigment
13 9/16 in x 9 1/16 in x 11 13/16 in (34.5 cm x 23 cm x 30 cm);13 9/16 in x 9 1/16 in x 11 13/16 in (34.5 cm x 23 cm x 30 cm);19 1/2 in x 9 1/16 in x 11 13/16 in (49.5 cm x 23 cm x 30 cm)
Gift of Susan B. and John F. Ullrich

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<p>Blue-and-White Porcelain and Stoneware</p>

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<p>Selections from the Margaret Watson Parker Colle...

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<p>Celadon Wares in Asia</p>

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<p>Celadon Wares in Asia</p>

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<p>Celadon Wares in Asia</p>

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<p>Celadon Wares in Asia</p>

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<p>Celadon Wares in Asia</p>

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<p>Celadon Wares in Asia</p>

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<p>Celadon Wares in Asia</p>

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<p>American Plaster Casts</p>

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<p>American Silver</p>

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<p>American Art Pottery</p>

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<p>American Art Pottery</p>

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<p>American Art Pottery</p>

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<p>American Art Pottery</p>

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<p>Native American Art</p>

Cabinet V: Shelf 1
<p>The Human Figure in African Art</p>

Cabinet V: Shelf 2
<p>African Miniature Masks</p>

Cabinet V: Shelf 3
<p>African Masks and Masquerades</p>

Cabinet W: Shelf 1
<p>The Head in African Art</p>

Cabinet W: Shelf 2
<p>Selections from the Helmut Stern Collection</p>

Cabinet W: Shelf 3
<p>Selections from the Helmut Stern Collection</p>

Cabinet W: Shelf 4
<p>African Masks and Masquerades</p>

Cabinet X: Shelf 1
<p>Modern Sculpture</p>

Cabinet X: Shelf 2
<p>Modern Sculpture</p>

Cabinet X: Shelf 3
<p>Modern Sculpture</p>

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<p>Modern Sculpture</p>

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<p>Selections from the Fusfeld Art Collection</p>

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<p>Contemporary Art</p>

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<p>Contemporary Art</p>

7 Collection Object Sources

Mask (1984/1.266)
Helmet Mask (2005/2.68)
Mask (1983/2.185)
Mask (1984/2.51)
Mask (1998/1.135)

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June 8, 2020 2:33 p.m.

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