Large Waja Or Wurkum Shoulder Mask From Nigeria

Superb and rare large old shoulder mask in heavy wood with thick crusty patina in places and remains of red coloring height 130 cm, width 32 cm and depth 30 cm A stylized head with tribal scarifications, with large ears, placed on a long neck with the Adam's apple marked, and in its lower part, representing the body, with a restangular structure whose sides extend into two long and wide boards, one of which (the front one) carved with points in relief. Each side of the boards is pierced with a row of holes used to hang the raffia skirt. We know of this mask only one truly comparable copies. One from a Belgian collection see catalog AFRICA CAPOLAVORI DA UN CONTINENTE, ARTIFICIO SKIRA Page 219 and from the DEVELON collection sold at Sotheby's on December 5, 2003 page 96 estimated 30,000 to 40,000 euros (I do not know the adjudication) These shoulder masks have long been attributed to the WURKUM populations, but it now seems certain that they are indeed the work of WAJA sculptors. They are linked to the cult of fertility, this qi explains their attributes of two sexes: male head attested by the Adam's apple and row of pointed breasts