Portrait mask of a notable "mblo" · Côte d'Ivoire, Baule · ID: 3035812
Egger, Heidelberg, Germany
Nagel, Stuttgart, 10 May 1996, lot 1272
Heinz Kolerski, Fellbach near Stuttgart, Germany
Description
wood, shiny black patina, kaolin, camwood powder, diadem-shaped fine grooved coiffure with a bun on one side, elaborate beard - jagged on both sides - in form of three lobes at the chin, fine dashed brows, delicate scarifications, a beautiful formed mouth accentuated by camwood powder, slightly dam. (eyes, nose), crack and small missing part (at the chin on the left), abrasion of paint;
masks like the present represent recognized, named individuals. The men and women portrayed in masks are known for their great skill as dancers, for their exceptional beauty, or because they are important political figures. Most “mblo” portrait masks can be recognized by their facial features, their hairstyles, and their scarifications as depictions of known men and women. They perform at “gbagba” masquerades. In the past, this entertainment was danced several times a month but in the second half of the twentieth century the masks were losing their cachet, appearing less often - mainly at women’s funerals.
Comparing literature
Vogel, Susan Mullin, Baule, African Art - Western Eyes, New York 1997, p. 141