A Mumuye vertical mask

 A Mumuye vertical mask, Nigeria, composed of two parts, first the rounded cavity of the helmet, the second half composed of the cylindric abdomen, protruding navel, widened chest, arms on both sides of the body, in a zigzag shape, the neck is long and thick, finishing is the head of abstract shape, composed of the two large square ears, a rectangular mouth showing teeth, a rounded element where two eyes are places; ritual patina, signs of ritual use, some damage at the base, some cracks.

From hundreds of examples of primitive art exhibited in the British Museum, Moore has selected and drawn many works that are now considered to be among the highest quality African and Oceanic art ... The sculptor's eye recognized this as early as the mid-1920s. Alan, G. Wilkonson, page 608 ff, Primitivism in 20th Century Art, Prestel, edit.William Rubin, third ed., 1996

British Museum, sketchbook of Henry Moore, of the 1920th

Lit.: Frank Herreman and Constantine Petridis: The Discovery of Mumuye Art. In: Frank Herreman: Mumuye: Sculpture from Nigeria. The Human Figure Reinvented, Milan 2016, p. 9 (8-13).

Height: 117 cm
Weight: 11,8 kg