Yoruba Egungun Mask, Nigeria

Gert Stoll, Munich, acquired in Lagos between 1964-1969

Oberösterreichisches Landesmuseum, Schlossmuseum, Linz, Kulte, Künstler, Könige. Tradition und Moderne in Südnigeria, October 23, 1997 - March 22, 1998

Stefan Eisenhofer, Kulte, Künstler, Könige. Tradition und Moderne in Südnigeria, Linz, 1997, p. 322, cat. III/13.5

Very good condition overall; insect damage on proper right side, above ear, minor loss on proper right rim, age crack on proper left rim, nicks and scratches, wear and tear from traditional use; several nails inserted into chin and on forehead, fin aged patina with blue pigment and kaolin around the eyes.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Drewal, Pemberton and Abiodun (1989: 175) note: "The social world of the Yoruba consists of the living, the not-yet-born, and the deceased. Deceased twins, especially those who died as children, are thought of as not yet born, for they have not experienced the fullness of life and may return to the household. But those who have accomplished their days on earth and made a position for themselves in society become ancestors. [...] For the Yoruba, 'existence' is not defined solely in terms of physical life on earth. The dead also 'exist' in the sense that they make their presence known to the living, whose well-being depends upon their relationship to the living dead. Hence, throughout the Oyo Yoruba area annual and/or biennial festivals for the ancestors, called Odun Egungun, are held in every community. They consist of a series of rituals performed over several weeks within the compounds of the lineages that compose a town, as well as public rites at the igbale (the forest of the egungun), in the marketplace, and at the front of the palace. It is during the Odun Egungun and on the occasion of commemorative funeral rites for the deceased that the living dead appear and are honored through the mediation of masquerades, or egungun, meaning 'powers concealed'." 

The offered lot is a superb example for a mask worn by an egungun performer, evoking the dignity and eternal beauty of the deceased.