Finely carved with detailed naturalistic features and adornments, this black lacquered and patinated wooden dance mask was made by the Baoulé people of the Ivory Coast during the middle of the 20th century. The ‘Mblo’ theatric tradition of the Baoulé people, with its dramatic skits and solo dances, is among their oldest art forms, with this mask made for the important ‘Gba Gba’ dances within this. It represents and reveres a prominent member of the community with its smooth, healthy skin, delicately styled and textured hair, and elegant facial scarifications. As such, only the best dancers would take on this dance and role, at the risk of insulting the person depicted, who looks on, observing the dance as the mask’s ‘double’.
Dimensions: H 32cm x W 15cm x D 10cm
Finely carved with detailed naturalistic features and adornments, this black lacquered and patinated wooden dance mask was made by the Baoulé people of the Ivory Coast during the middle of the 20th century. The ‘Mblo’ theatric tradition of the Baoulé people, with its dramatic skits and solo dances, is among their oldest art forms, with this mask made for the important ‘Gba Gba’ dances within this. It represents and reveres a prominent member of the community with its smooth, healthy skin, delicately styled and textured hair, and elegant facial scarifications. As such, only the best dancers would take on this dance and role, at the risk of insulting the person depicted, who looks on, observing the dance as the mask’s ‘double’.
Dimensions: H 32cm x W 15cm x D 10cm
