Mask_Ejagham people (Nigeria) by catface3

Crest Mask, Ejagham people, Nigeria; late 19th to early 20th century; made of wood, antelope skin, pigment, metal, bamboo, plant fiber. &quot;Artful Animals exhibit, African Art Museum, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. <a href="http://www.nmafa.si.edu/exhibits/animals/index.html" rel="nofollow">www.nmafa.si.edu/exhibits/animals/index.html</a> Artful Animals explores how African artists create striking works of art using images based on an array of domestic and untamed animals. From rock art to contemporary media, animals are used as symbols of leadership, in masquerades and to tell the history and moral values of their makers. Many of the design elements are derived through direct observation of the animals in their natural habitat. Animals may be picked because they are beautiful, strong, fierce, well armored or have special skills. Sometimes the sound the animal makes or the way it moves is important. The animal's distinctive behaviors lend themselves to carrying messages in the visual arts as well as in performances, stories and proverbs. The artworks are also meant to highlight our human successes and shortcomings. Themes include notions of nurturing, power, wisdom, transformation, beauty and aggression.&quot;