Lot 635

A monumental Tsesah (Batcham) mask Cameroun. These Tsesah crests are believed to give expression to Bamileke sense of royal power. Worn atop the head or held by a dignitary in the fon's inner circle, the tsesah was a towering presence in performances that punctuated matters of state, from royal funerals and enthronement rites to the delivery of judicial sentences. By the time these works were collected by Westerners, they were no longer used in performances. H 170 Swiss collection