Antelope mask · Mali, Bamana · ID: 3035416
Swiss Private Collection
Description
wood, brown patina, remains of pigments, mirror glass, forehead and nose ridge decorated with cowrie snails, min. dam., traces of insect caused damage (back), slight traces of abrasion;
initiation communities are a central institution within the social structure of the Bamana and “ntomo” forms the first of this communities. Present mask presumably belonging to the “ntomo” society, which is indicated by the lack of the mouth, for this underlines the central lesson of the “ntomo”, i. e. the control of the word and the merit of keeping silence.
The object Antelope mask with the object ID 3035416 was last part of the auction 74th tribal art auction at September 7, 2013 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 52.
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