A traditional mask festival in Porto Novo, Benin, showcases the country’s unique face masks and full-body costumes, that are ...

The people of Benin made many different kinds of art. Village craft workers made simple pots, weapons and tools. They carved masks for ceremonies and they moulded sculptures of gods out of mud.

People in costumes perform in a mask parade during the Porto Novo Mask Festival in Porto Novo, Benin, Aug. 4, 2024. The festival was held here from Friday to Sunday to showcase the art and culture ...

The art institution is also looking into a small bronze pendant or belt mask in the “Royal Court Style” in its collection that would have put it in the Kingdom of Benin during the 1897 British ...

Spectators poured into Benin's capital for a new festival celebrating traditional masks over the weekend as the West African country seeks to attract visitors and showcase its cultural heritage.

The Benin ivory mask, one of only five known examples of its kind, had been scheduled for auction at Sotheby’s in February 2011, with an estimate of £3.5m-£4.5m.

Benin's capital, Porto Novo, came alive with the vibrant Porto Novo Mask Festival, celebrating traditional masks and drawing spectators from across the region.

The profound impact African art had on Picasso and other artists at the turn of the century appealed to modern-art collectors 30 years later. Among the earliest of these buyers was Klaus G. Perls, … ...