Mask for Egungun (Ere Egungun)
Yoruba
Late 19th century
Medium
Wood and pigment
Dimensions
39.4 × 25.4 × 30.5 cm (15 1/2 × 10 × 12 in.)
Classification
masks
Department
Arts of Africa
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
51194
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This mask would have been worn during the annual or biannual Egungun festival, performances and celebrations to honor lineage ancestors. In addition to their deployment during the annual festivals, Egungun masks can also be brought out at funerals for important lineage members or in times of crisis, when the guidance of the ancestors is sought. This mask depicts a figure wearing a pith helmet, a potent symbol of colonialism in Nigeria, even when worn by a non-European. The helmet is surmounted b...