Janus Head – Wood – IGBO / IBO – Nigeria

Great Janus (double headed) figure form the Igbo people of Nigeria. Ibo or Igbo are known for masquerades associated with the Iko Okochi harvest festival, in which the forms of the masks are determined by tradition, the festival theme content varies yearly.

The Igbo use thousands of masks, which incarnate unspecified spirits of the dead, forming a vast community of souls. The outstanding characteristic of the many Igbo masks is that they are painted chalk white, the color of the spirit. Masked dancers wore extremely elaborate costumes (sometimes ornamented with mirrors) and often their feet and hands were covered. With their masks, the Igbo oppose beauty to bestiality, the feminine to the masculine.

Good condition with a beautiful aged patina.

Provenance: Manfred Schäfer collection, ex- gallery owner from Ulm, Germany.