Mask "koma ba"
Côte d'Ivoire, Mau
not available anymore
Provenance
Philippe Ratton, Paris, FranceCatherine Sargos, Nancy, France
Size
H: 121 cm
H: 47.6 inch
Description
wood, greyish brown patina, partly encrusted (presumably sacrificial blood), metal clamps, anthropomorphic face with crowning horns and massive beak-like projection, min. dam., insect caused damage, cracks, traces of abrasion, base;
“koma ba”, a fierce detector of sorcery, sings and dances to attract evil spirits. Just like her male counterpart, the crude “koma su”, she is only allowed to be seen by the initates. Both masks were kept in a sacred hut at the heart of the sacred enclosure and were objects of sacrifices.
Comparing literature
Barbier, Jean Paul (ed.), Art of Côte d' Ivoire, Vol II, Genf 1993, p. 59, ill. 84 f.Publications
Sargos, Catherine & Patrick, Arts et traditions d'Afrique, Paris 2010, p. 89, ill. 2.13AHDRC: 0142253