Zemanek-Münster

Anthropozoomorphic mask "hombo" or "kobié" (rooster) ·  Burkina Faso, Bwa, Houndé · ID: 3043487

not available anymore
Provenance
Henri Kamer, Cannes/Paris, France
Size
H: 84,5 cm
H: 33.3 inch

Description

wood, matt patina, polychrome paint, marked by a rectangular teeth-revealing mouth and high forehead crest, min. dam., cracks, small chips, paint rubbed off in parts.
These masks represent the spirit “hombo”, a protective spirit of the blacksmith. Most of the masks depict beings from the bush in an animalic or fantastic shape, invisible for humans. The knowledge of the masks and of their geometrical patterns is restricted to the male population. During a two week initiation the boys are introduced to this secret knowledge, which also serves for mediation of social and moral values.


The object Anthropozoomorphic mask “hombo” or “kobié” (rooster) with the object ID 3043487 was last part of the auction 88th Tribal Art Auction at March 10, 2018 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 169.

You can find more Masks and other popular object types on our related topic pages. You may also be interested in our page on African art.


Comparing literature

Roy, Christopher D., Land of the flying masks, München 2007, ill. 135 P. Meauzé, "L'Art Nègre", Amsterdam/Paris, 1967:156, #2


Publications

Kamer, Henri, Haute-Volta, Paris 1973, p. 49, ill. 21

AHDRC: 0150421


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