Lot 80
YORUBA EPA MASK
NIGERIA
Ancient, African & Oceanic Art and Natural History
Auction: 08 July 2026 at 14:00 BST
Description
carved wood and pigment, the helmet Janus faced with perforated rectangular section mouth, a typically elaborate structure above, surmounted by a figure surrounded by attendant figures arranged in two registers
Dimensions
78cm tall
Provenance
Private collection, Edinburgh, formed 1960s-1970s
Footnote
In northeastern Yorubaland among the Ekiti and Igbomina, large masquerade festivals still take place either every year or every two years. Young men wear tall, heavy masks such as the present example, and perform slow, careful movements. A major part of the ritual involves jumping onto a raised platform, and if a mask slips off during the performance, it is seen as a bad sign.