Bwa Butterfly Mask, Africa

Dance mask/ sculpture. Known as a Kifwebe mask. Songye. Carved wood. 20th century. With a few flaws and repairs.

An african Dan Gabon dance mask. Ivory Coast. Wood, fur and metal. Good condition. Signs of wear. Visible marks.

A pair of Akua´ba (Akuba/Akwaba) fertility dolls from Ghana. 20th century. 2 disc-headed carved figures, similar but not identical. Good condition. Signs of wear consistent with age.

A sculptural African Palawar folding chair. Carved from one piece of hardwood. With a motif depicting a bird with a fish in its beak. Dry cracks. Not really suitable for sitting. Mo...

African mask. Mid 20th century. Carved wood. H 9-1/2" W 6-1/2"

It's a completed solid wood piece carved by hand with a very simple tool. The end result shows the process of hard work during the making period.

Very important “Nwantamtay” dance African mask, consisting of three sections: The upper in plain rectangular shape surmounted by a crescent shape moon, the middle with beautiful geometric triangles in black bitumen and white kaolin, surrounding a red cruciform in the centre of remarkable contrasting colors, and the lower part or face inscribed in a circular space that inspired numbered great artists like Joan Miro, Picasso and Henry Moore of a very strongly solar symbolism, with a projecting protuberance emanating from the forehead like a sculpted bird beak, that descents toward the mouth. Concentric eyes harmonize with the circular mouth, both with of elegant proportions. The whole mask exudes a supreme harmony and perfect balance rarely seen in this pieces. The back-side presents nice ware that attested the ancient origin and traces of animistic ceremonies as the use of animal blood residues. The painting of brown bitumen or cola, the natural colorants in red and ocher tones and the white kaolin are original and do not show any repainted or restored areas, giving a freshness rarely seen in old pieces. This exceptional mask Bwa, of the Hound`e Region in Burkina-Fasso, was used it the transit ceremonies and funerals manifesting the presence of “Do”, name given to their God sons, protectors and powerful spirits. The round face also represents an owl, the curving beak of the bird plants a seed into the sun, like a female sexual vulva being fecundated by the male organ; the eternal symbol of Ying and Yang, masculine and feminine, and the quest of life and death. This mask of Primitive facture can be compared to the one in the celebrated Verite Collection (this one being larger) sold in Paris at the Hotel Drouot, Saturday June 17, Lot 59, for 80,000 Euros and remarkably stands out from the Pierre and Tannia Matisse sold in Sotheby’s, New York in May 13, 2011. Another similar piece was published in: “Arman et l’art africain...

Add a touch of culture with this striking tribal mask. Its intricate design makes it a captivating decorative piece for any wall. Size without the feathers: 22cmx14cmx8cm.