Detail View: The AMICA Library: Monkey Mask with Leopards on Top

AMICA ID: 
CMA_.1971.66
AMICA Library Year: 
2003
Object Type: 
Sculpture
Creator Nationality: 
Africa, Cameroon, grassfields, Kom, early 20th Century
Creator Name-CRT: 
Africa, Cameroon, grassfields, Kom, early 20th Century
Title: 
Monkey Mask with Leopards on Top
Title Type: 
Primary
View: 
Detail
Creation Date: 
c. 1900
Creation Start Date: 
1895
Creation End Date: 
1905
Materials and Techniques: 
wood and pigment
Classification Term: 
Sculpture
Style or Period: 
Africa, Cameroon, grassfields, Kom, early 20th Century
Dimensions: 
Overall: 33cm x 63.5cm x 41.9cm
AMICA Contributor: 
The Cleveland Museum of Art
Owner Location: 
Cleveland, Ohio, USA
ID Number: 
1971.66
Credit Line: 
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. William D. Wixom in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph M. Coe
Rights: 
Context: 
Various kingdoms in Cameroon have royal masking societies that help maintain community values defined by ancestral law. This mask serves as a runner, a messenger, or sometimes as an executioner. In African art, animals are used as metaphors for human actions and qualities: monkeys suggest agility and talkativeness; while leopards -- the primary symbol of royal leadership -- symbolize pride, strength, speed, cunning, and beauty.
Related Image Identifier Link: 
CMA_.1971.66det01.tif