Yoruba Gelede Mask from Nigeria
Tribe: Yoruba Country: Nigeria Object: Gelede Mask Height: 13″
The Gelede mask would usually be made of wood from the oilnut tree (erinmado). The wood from this tree is light in weight and easy to cut. After the headdress is carved and any attachments are adhered, different pigments, made from local plants and rocks, would be painted on, creating a colorful array of beauty. In more modern times, some artists are known to use European paints instead of indigenous pigments.
