Metal casting in the Kingdom of Benin (the area of ​​present-day Nigeria) was one of the pinnacles of court art in West Africa. Bronze masks and sculptures served exclusively to celebrate the monarch (both) and the royal court. The motif of a horseman is a traditional symbol of high status, military power, prestige and wealth in Beninese art, as horses were a rare imported commodity from the northern Saharan regions. The mask was used in palace ceremonies, the worship of royal ancestors and rituals intended to demonstrate the spiritual and temporal sovereignty of the ruler over the entire empire.

Nigeria, 19th century, bronze, 55 x 25 x 35 cm

The post Bronze mask, Benin appeared first on Antikelen.

This specific type of sculpture served young women and girls as a protective amulet and ritual aid to ensure fertility, healthy motherhood and easy childbirth. Women carried the statuettes with them, cared for them as if they were real children and believed that through them they communicated with the spiritual forces responsible for the continuity of the family.

Congo, Africa, early 20th century, wood, h. 38 cm

The post Ritual statue, Congo appeared first on Antikelen.

Gelede masks are used during the ritual ceremonies of the same name, which celebrate and appease the spiritual power of women, especially elderly mothers. These women are perceived as bearers of mysterious creative and destructive power. The mask's construction tells a story or carries a proverb - the presence of a bird and a chameleon symbolizes transformation, magical power, communication with the night world and the ability of mothers to influence the fate of the community. The dance in these masks aims to ensure the fertility of the land, social peace, fertility and prosperity of the entire community.

Nigeria, 1st half of the 20th century, wood, polychrome, 50 x 30 x 22 cm

The post Gelede mask, Nigeria appeared first on Antikelen.

Mboko vessels were among the most important objects of power and oracles in the Luba kingdom. The kneeling female figure represents a spiritual intermediary, as women were perceived in Luba culture as the only beings capable of preserving the spirits of their ancestors and divine power in their bodies. The mboko bowl served as a place for oracles to store sacred white clay (kaolin). It was applied to the face of a soothsayer or ruler during rituals, enabling communication with the spirit world, purification, divination of the future, and legitimization of royal authority.

Congo, Africa, 1st half of the 20th century, h. 34 cm

The post Carved statue, Luba, Congo appeared first on Antikelen.

This type of composite mask from Nigeria represents a complex embodiment of ancestral spirits or powerful protective deities. The sewn shells are a traditional symbol of wealth, high social status and ritual purity. The curved horns refer to the power of wild animals and male energy. The mask was used during important social events.

Nigeria, turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, wood, textile, 46 x 40 x 50 cm

The post Ritual mask Nigeria appeared first on Antikelen.

Ivory Coast, Africa, early 20th century, wood, h. 30 cm

The post Ivory Coast ritual mask appeared first on Antikelen.

The mask was used in ritual dances during funerals, memorial ceremonies, or celebrations of the birth of twins. The white color symbolizes the world of spirits, purity, and peace. The mask embodies the return of the spirit of a young girl from the other world back to the living to bring protection, blessings, and harmony between the world of ancestors and contemporaries to the community.

Punu tribe, Gabon, Africa, early 20th century, wood, h. 30 cm

The post Punu tribe mask appeared first on Antikelen.

Africa, Congo, early 20th century, wood, 10 x 21 x 8 cm

The post Headrest, Congo appeared first on Antikelen.

W. 20.2 cm, H. 2.8 cm

The post Chinese red lacquer decorative plate appeared first on Antikelen.

The post Bronze mask, Nigeria appeared first on Antikelen.