ART on view 102 complete? And was it even a concern? In recent years, scholarly research has brought to light some of the reasons for the fragmentary state of many African sculptures— often an alteration caused by a trader or buyer for economic reasons “to suit Western taste … or maximize a profit.”24 While its fragmentary state does not in any way diminish the aesthetic quality of the object, the alteration certainly affects its raison d’être. Reexamining Objects Such, then, are the two collections that form the core of the African holdings of the NMA. However, every collection— and every museum of African art—must at some point confront questions of authenticity and attribution. At the Neuberger, three significant objects now part of the core collection stood out in this respect: a monumental Wurkun mask from northeastern Nigeria (figs. 21a and b), a Dan figure from Liberia (fig. 23), and a small ivory tusk attributed only to Cameroon (fig. 22). The mask was puzzling indeed. Heavily eroded, its stylistic features do not recall those generally associated with Jukun or Wurkun masks—a narrow head topped by a crest; a long slender neck with sloped shoulders; and protruding circular eyes. On the contrary, a wide domeshaped hemispherical head without a crest; a thick cylindrical neck extending from a broad flat-topped support; and nose and mouth treated as notches carved into the wood characterize the vertical Neuberger mask. The landmark 2011 Central Nigeria Unmasked: Arts of the Benue River Valley exhibition prompted a reassessment of the mask. In the comprehensive catalog, Marla Berns distinguishes two stylistic types of vertical mask, the first one described above and the other corresponding with some variation to the Neuberger example. “Such variations within these two categories,” notes Berns, “are sufficiently different from each other to suggest they have FIG. 18 (left): Reliquary guardian figure, eyema byeri. Fang, Gabon. 19th–20th century. Wood, copal, palm oil. H: 69.9 cm. Ex Paul Guillaume, Paris; Harold Rome, New York, 1970; Lawrence Gussman, 1978–1999. Neuberger Museum of Art, Purchase College, State University of New York, inv. 1999.06.47. Gift of Lawrence Gussman in memory of Dr. Albert Schweitzer. Photo: Jim Frank. FIG. 19 (right): Reliquary guardian figure, eyema byeri. Ntumu style, Fang, Ntem region, southern Cameroon. 19th–20th century. Wood, pigment. H: 73.7 cm. Ex Dr. Pichon, 1916–1970; Alain de Monbrison, Paris, 1978; Lawrence Gussman, 1978–1999. Neuberger Museum of Art, Purchase College, State University of New York, inv. 1999.06.51. Gift of Lawrence Gussman in memory of Dr. Albert Schweitzer. Photo: Jim Frank.
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