Bird- or butterfly mask ·  Burkina Faso, Bwa · ID: 3035430

Description

wood, polychrome paint, of broad, elongated form, the actual facial features in the middle, geometrical incisions on front and back side of the mask, rep. (crack at the left side, breakage at the beak), cracks, small missing parts, traces of abrasion;
the bird and butterfly masks are the most abstract mask forms. The mouth projects from the centre and there is a large hook representing the hawk’s beak and circles representing the patterns on the butterfly’s wings.
Without knowing the context it is not possible to distinguish which bird, a hawk or a vulture, is the inspiration for this mask.

Comparing literature

Roy, Christopher D., Land of the flying masks, München 2007, ill. 145