Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 6

Bidjogo Tribal Initiation Ox Mask, c. 1900

About the Item

After oxen were introduced to Guinea Bissau by Portuguese sailors in the 15th century, its strength, aggression, and nobility quickly became integrated into their initiation rituals. The organic curves and expressive features of this mask helped young men take on the mantel (fireplace) of full adulthood by immersing them in the character of the ox. The richness of the wood and extension of the horns leaves negative space and shadow to fill out the striking form of this sculptural object.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 12 in (30.48 cm)Width: 21.75 in (55.25 cm)Depth: 9.5 in (24.13 cm)
  • Style:
    Tribal (In the Style Of)
  • Materials and Techniques:
    Hide,Wood
  • Place of Origin:
    Guinea-Bissau
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    circa 1900
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use.
  • Seller Location:
    Chicago, IL
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: CAA12491stDibs: LU820019358892
More From This SellerView All
  • Bissau-Ginean Ox Initiation Mask, c. 1900
    Located in Chicago, IL
    After oxen were introduced to Guinea Bissau by Portuguese sailors in the 15th century, its strength, aggression, and nobility quickly became integrated i...
    Category

    Early 20th Century Guinea-Bissauan Tribal Wall-mounted Sculptures

    Materials

    Wood, Glass

  • Pende-Style Antelope Mask
    Located in Chicago, IL
    Masks from the Pende people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo are considered some of the most dramatic works of African art. The Pende have defined an extensive range of mask forms, many with distinct characters embodied during ritual ceremony. Colored by red and white pigments, this Pende mask...
    Category

    Mid-20th Century Congolese Tribal Masks

    Materials

    Wood

  • Fang-Style African Painted Mask
    Located in Chicago, IL
    Light masks like these represented the spirit of an ancestor and were used for social control by Ngil, the judiciary association. The facial markings, abstract features and strong, e...
    Category

    Mid-20th Century Gabonese Tribal Wall-mounted Sculptures

    Materials

    Wood

  • Yoruba Egungun Headdress Mask
    By Yoruba People
    Located in Chicago, IL
    Attributed to the Yoruba people of western Nigeria, this wooden headdress was worn during a masquerade known as egungun. A widespread Yoruba ritual, egungun performances honor a comm...
    Category

    Early 20th Century Nigerian Tribal Masks

    Materials

    Wood

  • Mende Women's Helmet Mask
    Located in Chicago, IL
    This helmet mask created by the Mende people of Sierra Leone was made for the women of their tribe to wear while dancing. Commissioned by women for their ...
    Category

    Mid-20th Century Sierra Leonean Tribal Masks

    Materials

    Wood

  • African Basuku Helmet Mask
    Located in Chicago, IL
    During their five hundred year history in the Southern Congo, the Basuku tribe developed a series of intricate rituals built around their skilled mask makers. This particular example was most likely carved in the likeness of a deceased chieftain. The artisan intentionally pronounced the eyes, cheeks, and chin to provide a terrifying test for young men as they underwent their rites for manhood. The Basuku's spiritual expressions inspired early 20th century western painters...
    Category

    20th Century Congolese Tribal Masks

    Materials

    Wood

You May Also Like
  • Monumental African Tribal Burkina Faso Horned Bobo Ceremonial Mask
    Located in Miami, FL
    Early 20th century zoomorphic African ceremonial mask or puppet head sculpture attributed to the tribes people of Burkina Faso. This meticulously crafted wooden African mask or head ...
    Category

    20th Century Burkinabe Tribal Masks

    Materials

    Wood, Hardwood

  • African Nafana Bedu Plank Mask Goli Tribal Ceremonial Shield Ghana Coast
    Located in Dayton, OH
    "Mid century carved African Nefana Bedu plank mask sculpture. This wooden plank mask is large and geometrical in form. It was worn over the face with its extremities towering way above the head. The lower part of the mask is spade-shaped and pierced at the center with three holes to allow the wearer to see out and with a third hole for the mouth. Its crest is surmounted by a large circular horn or disk. This group of masks are known as Bedu by the Nafana people who make and use them for ritual use. Measure: 74" Such plank masks are among the largest masks in Africa. The form of the Bedu mask...
    Category

    Mid-20th Century Tribal Wall-mounted Sculptures

    Materials

    Hardwood, Paint

  • Vintage Heavy Iron Tribal Art Sculpture Flat Portrait Hanging Face Mask
    Located in Dayton, OH
    Vintage heavy iron modern art sculpture funerary mask featuring a flattened face with no expression. Stamped TM. Measure: 13".
    Category

    Late 20th Century Folk Art Masks

    Materials

    Iron

  • Mid-20th Century Black Dance Mask, Guerrero, Mexico
    Located in Point Richmond, CA
    Mid-20th century black dance mask, Guerrero, Mexico A nice old mask from Guererro, Mexico, used in the Tlacololero Dance of the Tlactapa and probably fr...
    Category

    Vintage 1940s Mexican Tribal Wall-mounted Sculptures

    Materials

    Wood

  • Mid 20th Century Hand Carved African Fertility Mask, Akan People
    Located in Ottawa, Ontario
    A very decorative fertility mask by the Baule tribe, associated with the Akan people who live both in Ghana and in the Ivory Coast. The sides with three...
    Category

    Mid-20th Century Ivorian Tribal Masks

    Materials

    Wood

  • Traditional, Seminara Ceramic Mask
    Located in Paris, FR
    Ditto potters with Antonio Bonamico. The ceramic masks of Seminara are ostentatious and grotesque, with deliberately frightening features to scare away ...
    Category

    21st Century and Contemporary Italian Masks

    Materials

    Ceramic

Recently Viewed

View All