The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 12, 2025

Face Mask (Agboho mmuo)

possibly early 1900s

Africa, West Africa, Nigeria, Igbo-style maker

Wood, pigment, plant fiber, and cotton
Overall: 16.9 x 11 x 6 cm (6 5/8 x 4 5/16 x 2 3/8 in.)
Gift of Kim Sherwin 2016.10
Location: Not on view

Did You Know?

Though always worn by a man, the imagery of this mask celebrates youthful female beauty.

Description

This small face mask would have been complemented by a separate, elaborate superstructure covered with cotton cloth. Though always worn by a man, the image glorifies youthful female beauty. Derived from chalky clay, the white coloration of the face refers to ancestral spirits whose powers the mask evokes. The masks dance in festivals that generally celebrate the dead but also appear at funerals to escort the deceased to the land of the ancestors.
  • ?–2016
    Kim Sherwin
    2016–
    by gift to the Cleveland Museum of Art
  • {{cite web|title=Face Mask (Agboho mmuo)|url=false|author=|year=possibly early 1900s|access-date=12 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2016.10