A large and heavily embellished wooden mask with attached movable lower jaw and adorned with various animal hides, metal tacks, horns, teeth and textiles. The mask is a very aggressive example of what is commonly considered a "war" mask, a type of ceremonial mask that were used during festivities, funerals, rituals, wars, and that look rather scary and monstrous. This mask measures 20 x 14 inches. There is no display stand with this mask. Provenance: The William Siegmann collection. *** William C. Siegmann (1943-2011) was a leading expert on the arts of Liberia and Sierra Leone and was particularly associated with West African masking traditions and performance. His interest was not only in their aesthetics, but in understanding the cultural meanings and context of these arts, including their relationship with cosmology, music and dance. During his career, Siegmann served as a curator at the Africana and National Museums in Liberia, Museum of the Society of African Missions African Art (NJ), Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, and the Brooklyn Museum. He wrote and lectured extensively on the art of masquerades in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

fair, well weathered, lower jaw attached with strings