cast;
pendant mask
- Museum number
- CRS.49
- Description
-
Cast; pendant mask made in plaster in form of female face. Four faint vertical scarification marks above each eye. Further two long inset marks above nose, painted black. Pupils hollowed, left proper pupil is filled and painted black. Pendant has circlet composed of alternating European (Portuguese) heads with beards and hats and stylised mudfish. Pendant has two loops (unpierced) at each side for attachment of suspension cord. Openwork ruff below chin decorated with European (Portuguese) heads. Coloured to match original pendant mask. Metal wire inserted at back between ears.
- Production date
-
20thC(mid) (cast)
-
16thC (original)
- Dimensions
-
Height: 24.10 centimetres
-
Width: 13.20 centimetres
-
Depth: 6.30 centimetres
- Curator's comments
-
The original pendant mask was probalby worn as a hip pendant or possibly as a pectoral mask. It was associated with Queen Mother, Idia.
-
The original sixteenth century pendant mask is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (accession number: 1978.412.323). It forms part of the Michael C Rockefeller Memorial Collection and was a gift of Nelson A Rockefeller.
The mask was taken from Benin City by Sir Ralph Moor during the British Expedition to Benin City in 1897.
- Location
- Not on display
- Condition
- Fair. Poorly defined cast. Damaged at left propoer (as in original).
- Department
- Africa, Oceania and the Americas
- Registration number
- CRS.49
