Mask "ntomo" ·  Mali, Bamana · ID: 3034082

Description

wood, dark brown patina, remains of resin-like mass, originally inset with cowrie snails, pierced around the rim, fine cracks, slight traces of abrasion, on metal base;
in Bamana society each member has to pass through six initiation levels during his life in order to achieve perfect wisdom. Present mask belongs to the first initiation level, “ntomo”, which is followed by “komo”, “nama”, “kono”, “tjiwara” and “kore”. When entering “ntomo” the young boys had to learn how to keep silent and how to suffer in silence. According their main song goes: “shut up, shut up, the spoken word is the enemy”…

L’objet Mask “ntomo” avec l’ID d’objet 3034082 a fait partie de l’enchère 71st tribal art auction en 24 novembre 2012 pour la dernière fois le Zemanek-Münster Hôtel des ventes et avait le numéro de lot 109.

Vous trouverez d’autres Masques et autres types d’objets populaires sur nos pages thématiques associées. Notre page sur le thème Art africain pourrait également vous intéresser.

Littérature comparée

Bambara sculpture from the Western Sudan, New York 1960, ill. 30