Baule Painted Kpan Mask

This helmet mask created by the Mende people of Sierra Leone was made for the women of their tribe to wear while dancing. Commissioned by women for their ...

During their five hundred year history in the Southern Congo, the Basuku tribe developed a series of intricate rituals built around their skilled mask makers. This particular example was most likely carved in the likeness of a deceased chieftain. The artisan intentionally pronounced the eyes, cheeks, and chin to provide a terrifying test for young men as they underwent their rites for manhood. The Basuku's spiritual expressions inspired early 20th century western painters...

Light masks like these represented the spirit of an ancestor and were used for social control by Ngil, the judiciary association. The facial markings, abstract features and strong, e...

This painted mask was created by the Yoruba People of western Nigeria, and was worn during a tradition known as Gelede. A blend of ritual and artistic spectacle, Gelede pays homage to the women of their Community, understood to possess spiritual powers capable of the benefit or the destruction of society. The Gelede masquerade is an opportunity to honor or condemn behaviors within the Community, through dance, art, satire, and poetry. Worn by veiled dancers, Gelede masks...

An elegant and refined mask representing the ideal beauty of a female ancestor. The face, surmounted by an elongated element of coiffure, is long and stylized. The nose is long and t...

A Finely Carved Dan Mask Of exceptional form, colour and patina Wood, fibre (braid) Ivory Coast Early 20th Century Size: 25cm high - 10¾ ins high Provenance: Ex Guy Montaibou c...

A Powerful Baule Mask With rich dark ‘lacquered black’ patina, excellent colour with areas of ‘kaolin’ Wood Ivory Coast Early 20th Century Size: 32.5cm high - 12¾ ins high Prov...

Kholuka Yaka Mask, DR Congo. Wood, basketry, textile, raffia. Typical African mask of the Yaka in the south of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Kholuk...