Lot 447
Liberia. Elegant and rare tall helmet mask from the Gola Gbetu masquerade, surmounted by an idealized female head crowned with a finely detailed coiffure accented by a row of spherical pins along the ends of the plaits. The elongated neck is articulated into twelve distinct segments, rising from a conical superstructure carved with layered geometric patterns and fertility-related motifs. Minor age-related condition issues include a hairline crack at the top of the coiffure and a small loss at the back of the head. Rich dark brown patina. See a related example in the Brooklyn Museum, NY, acc. no. 2011.53.1a-b. Gbetu is a men's masquerade performed primarily for secular entertainment. While a genre owned and performed by men, gbetu is considered to be feminine, as she is seen to "give birth" to small dancing figures that appear to emerge from beneath her raffia skirt, perform, and then return to her folds. - Brooklyn Museum, web. Size: 30-7/8"H. (78cm).
Provenance: Ex. Affrica Gallery, Washington, D.C. Copy of receipt available, Aug. 2000.
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#70447
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| From: | To: | Increments: |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $749 | $25 |
| $750 | $1,499 | $50 |
| $1,500 | $2,999 | $100 |
| $3,000 | $7,499 | $250 |
| $7,500 | $14,999 | $500 |
| $15,000 + | $1,000 |