Ibo-Izzi, Nigeria, Old ‘Ogbodo Enyi’ Elephant Mask

Ibo-Izzi, Nigeria Old ‘Ogbodo Enyi’ Elephant Mask

This mask type of the Ibo-Izzi, a subgroup of the Ibo in Nigeria, is actually a dance crest. The elephant mask ‘Ogbodo Enyi’ is worn horizontally on top of the head; a soft ring of woven plant fibres serves as padding.

Formally, the ‘Ogbodo Enyi’ is a composite mask derived from different animals: the protruding tusks of an elephant are combined with the open mouth of a hippopotamus and parts of a warthog. The projection on the forehead represents the ‘trunk of the elephant’. The ‘Ogbodo Enyi’ is regarded as a ‘friend of the village’: a good-natured masked being that protects the community.

Made of light-coloured wood, dyed white, black and earth red/brown.

Why we chose this piece

A powerful, expressive mask with a rich meaning, in which several animals merge into a single protective being.

Style and interior

A strongly sculptural piece for lovers of African art, and a remarkable accent in an eclectic or modernist interior.

Dimensions: 31 cm high, 59 cm wide, 29 cm deep
Material: light-coloured wood, dyed white, black and earth red/brown; ring of woven plant fibres
Period: around 1920, possibly older
Origin: Ibo-Izzi, Nigeria
Condition: please see the detail photos

Price:
€ 1.795

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