Handcrafted Nigerian Wood Mask 'My Beautiful Lover'

Sculpted by hand of native African rubberwood, this face depicts a woman of youthful beauty. Long lashes frame demure eyes and applications of aluminum create intricate patterns on her cheeks and forehead. 'Among the Hausa people of Nigeria, such masks are given to a woman by a man as a wedding proposal,' says artisan Abdul Aziz Mohamadu. 'If she does not return the mask, it means the proposal as been accepted.' Named Shawa – Hausa for 'Lover's Beauty' – the mask is rubbed with white clay for an aged effect.