Rare mask "kodal" ·  Côte d'Ivoire, Senufo · ID: 3038928

Description

wood, matt greyish brown patina with remains of black paint, combining anthropomorphic facial features with a long bird beak, a horn to each side of the face, grooved headband with rectangular projection to each side, slightly dam., minor missing parts (beak), fine cracks (backside at the beak), metal base;
the mask represents the “bird woman” employed by the “lo” village confraternity, for its ritual dances.

Comparing literature

Förster, Till, Die Kunst der Senufo aus Schweizer Sammlungen, Zürich 1988, ill. 14 Segy, Ladislas, Masks of Black Africa, New York 1976, ill. 77 F.-H. Lem, Sculptures Soudanaises, Paris, 1948, pl. 50