Powerful Cubist Dogon Antelope Mask Raffia Mali West Africa Tall Vertical Eyes

There are nearly eighty styles of Dogon masks, and for the most part they all utilize the use of various geometric shapes in their design, independent of the various animals they are...

Carved abstract mythological abstract antelope anteater headdress mounted on wood stand. These motifs symbolize excellence in farming and bountiful harvests...

Museum quality Dogon tribe ironwood percussion pounder reportedly collected from a Tellem cave in the Bandiagara Escarpment in Mali. Collected in the late 1970’s with approximate age...

A Bamana Wood Reliquary Guardian Figure West Africa, Mali Property from the Estate of Paul B. Dombrowski, Monona, Wisconsin.

A Powerful Baule Mask With rich dark ‘lacquered black’ patina, excellent colour with areas of ‘kaolin’ Wood Ivory Coast Early 20th Century Size: 32.5cm high - 12¾ ins high Prov...

Conical leather and straw tribal Fulani hat, Mali West Africa Folk Art organic fiber hat with leather applications that comes from the Fulani people in West Africa. It is typically worn by the Wodaabe, a nomadic cattle-herder subgroup of the Fulani. The organic straw is covered in leather straps both at the brim and top and with decorative leather elements in the middle. At the very top of the hat there is a knob which is covered in leather. At the base of the hat there is a chinstrap. The hats were featured on dancers in the 2018 music video "All the Stars" by the artist Kendrick Lamar...

A Powerful Female ‘Bakorozai’ Initiation Mask The brown patina testifies to the ritual use and great age of this rare mask Wood Loma / Guerze-Kpelle, Liberia Late 19th Century ...

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

African Statue 'Boli' Bambara Mali C1950 Zoomorphic altar statuette (Boli). Kono tribe. Provenance: Swedish private collection, inherited with the Fam...

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...