Cap Crest Mask

Cap Crest Mask

19th-20th Century

West Africa, Nigeria

Igbo, Abiriba (?) or Cross River region

Wood, pigment

17 1/2 x 4 3/4 in. (44.5 x 12.1 cm)

2005.069.001

In the Cross River Region of Nigeria, the rivalry between masking associations gave artists incentives to generate new art forms and styles. Each association lavished great expense on masquerade paraphernalia in a bid to display the most impressive masks and most inspired dances.

This striking crest mask cannot be traced to a particular ethnic or cultural group. It displays elements reminiscent of Igbo, Idoma, Boki and Ejagham carving styles. The mask is therefore typical for the Cross River region where artists, art objects, and styles are highly mobile.

Museum purchase

MCCM Permanent Collection Reinstallation, 2008 - December 1, 2014|
MCCM Permanent Collection Gallery, August 6, 2016 - Present

MCCM Newsletter, March - May 2008.|
Michael C. Carlos Museum: Highlights of the Collections (Atlanta: Michael C. Carlos Museum, 2011), 103.

© Michael C. Carlos Museum, Emory University. Photo by Bruce M. White, 2008.

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