Face mask of the "mblo"-group ·  Côte d'Ivoire, Baoulé · ID: 3036948

Description

wood, shiny dark brown patina, of oval hollowed form, geometrical facial features in symmetric arrangement, scarification marks in grid pattern, just the coiffure slightly asymmetrical, slightly dam., crack (backside on the upper rim), abrasion of paint, base;
part of the “goli” masquerade, a day-long performance that involves the entire village population and which displays four pairs of masks. They appear two by two in a fixed order: first a pair of disc-faced masks (“kple kple”), next a pair of animal helmet masks (“goli glen”), third a pair of horned face masks (“kpan pre”), and finally two human-faced masks of the “mblo”-group.

Expertise

written confirmation available