Antique African mask. Made of bronze. Africa, XX century.

Bamum is a state in West Africa. At the beginning of the 20th century, the art of the peoples of Baum was centered around the court of the king, who played an important role in judicial, social and religious issues. One of the symbols of a person's position at court were small bronze masks that high-ranking officials wore on their belts, which made it possible to visually determine a person's position in society and understand his role in the royal court. Such bronze masks served not only as decoration, but also as a symbol of the power and status of the owner.