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"Bobo Mask of Dance, " Wood created in the Volta Region, Ghana in c. 1930

127d

"Bobo Mask Burkina Fasso-Upper Volta" is a wood carved sculpture with painted details. It features the image of an abstracted face with a large almost elepha...

"Mask, Baga Guinea" is a carved wooden mask created c. 1920. Where a face would go in the mask is actually the body of a woman figure. There are two breasts above a hole for the mask wearer...

Bwa mask from Burkina Fasso Burkina Faso, Black Volta River region Culture: Bwa peoples Provenance: Private Swedish collection Bwa plank masks are conceive...

Bamana N'tomo mask, Mali, 20th century "Generally surmounted by three to eight horns forming a comb, the N'tomoface mask refers to a moment of compulsory education given to uncircumcised young boys in certain West African societies. The mask's discreet, even absent, mouth emphasizes the behavior expected of them in their future adult life after training: controlling and measuring their words, knowing how to keep quiet, preserving secrets and enduring pain in silence." Excerpt from Masques du N'tomo, Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière Collection, Musée du Quai Branly Jacques Chirac, France. The Bambara, or Bamana, live in central and southern Mali. Their name means “unbeliever” and was given to them by the Muslims. Animists, they believe in the existence of a creator god called Ngala, who maintains the order of the universe and coexists with another androgynous god called Faro, master of the Word, who gave all qualities to mankind and makes the fruits of the earth grow. Traditional Bamana art objects are closely linked to agrarian rites. The Bamana dance these masks during initiation and circumcision ceremonies for young boys in the Ntomo society. The face, with its vertical outgrowths at the top, adopts geometric features beneath a rounded forehead, including an imposing busted nose, as the Bamana favor this organ in their statuary as it evokes sociability and clan cohesion. Indeed, during choreography, the dancer frequently touches the nose of the mask. As teaching aids for candidates, masks from societies accessible to young boys and adults, such as the N'tomo, Korè and Ci wara...