The "Master of Anago" is the title given to an artist who worked near the town of Anago in Benin; while his name was not recorded, the beauty of his sculptures is well known and widely celebrated. The face and head of this mask are nearly spherical in form, with swelling cheeks and temples, in keeping with Yoruba aesthetics. Other elements of the work reflect the artist's emphasis on proportion and fine details. Two wooden feathers rise from the top of the mask, their height balanced by the crest in the center of the hair. The surface is smoothly finished, with clusters of parallel lines called abaja on each cheek and pele on the forehead. These incisions were considered beauty marks in southwestern Yorubaland when the mask was carved. The artist has added a band of incised triangles to the forehead and temples, a decoration of his own invention. The rectilinear ears are a particular signature of the artist. The paint that was once applied to the mask was likely removed by a European dealer or collector to appeal to a foreign market.




The mask was originally made for the gelede festival, a celebration in honor of mothers that began in the eighteenth century and still occurs in most Yoruba cities and villages once a year. The event includes dancing beginning in the late afternoon and continuing until the early hours of the morning. In Yoruba thought, a woman who has reached menopause has a special spiritual status, because her gender identity has shifted from the procreative female toward the male. She also has formidable social power, as a mother, a mother-in-law, and often a grandmother. Gelede dancers celebrate women’s contribution to their families and communities, tease them about gossip and nagging, and cajole them to use their powers for family and community harmony instead of sowing discord. The different demands of day and night performances and the varied tone of the dances give artists room to experiment with color and form, constantly innovating within this long tradition.

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