Details
ITEM NAME:
Bamileke Elephant Mask
ITEM #:
55055
ETHNICITY:
Bamileke
ORIGIN:
Cameroon Grasslands
MEDIUM:
Cloth, Beads, Reed.
DIMENSIONS:
36″ Tall (91.5 cm)
CONDITION:
Very Good.
NOTE:
Custom Display Stand Included.
PROVENANCE:
Jean Pierre Hallet Estate Collection – Florida, USA.
CATALOGUE NOTE:
Adorn your art collection with the Bamileke Elephant Mask, a venerable artifact that embodies the pinnacle of social rank and power from the Cameroon grasslands. Rare and resplendent, this mask is more than a mere decorative piece—it’s a testament to tradition, status, and the mystical folklore of African royalty.
Features:
Elite Craftsmanship: A fusion of historic beading techniques with symbols of authority, this mask is indicative of its wearer’s high societal standing within the elite Kuosi masking society.
Dual Animal Representation: The mask artfully amalgamates the likenesses of the elephant and the leopard, invoking the king’s ability to harness their formidable attributes.
Regal Performances: Created for biannual dances executed by the Bamileke king and Kuosi’s distinguished members, this mask personifies the essence of a royal court’s grandeur.
Wealth and Might: The elephant’s famed large ears and trunk embody the king’s accomplishments and the role of the tusk as an ancient luxury commodity.
Leopard’s Prowess: Beaded patterns mimic the leopard’s spots, further indicating the king’s supreme qualities of strength, quickness, and tact.
The Bamileke Elephant Mask is a relic that stands in homage to the spiritual and ceremonial spectacles of the past. A piece laden with beads, indicative of historic luxury, and a storied provenance from Jean-Pierre Hallet’s esteemed collection, it presents a narrative of regality at its finest.
For The Discerning African Art Collector
This is your invitation to own a fragment of African royal lore. Perfect for the connoisseur with an eye for pieces steeped in cultural significance, the Bamileke Elephant Mask offers both aesthetic appeal and an enduring conversation piece that will grace any space with its majestic presence.
