African Arts Gallery

The Baoulé people (name from a legend, "Bauli", "the son is dead") are one of the largest tribes in Côte d'Ivoire.
The African masks of Mblo dance are part of one of the oldest Baoulé artistic traditions and often represent an idealized character. They are performed during dance events accompanied by music and songs, such as celebrations, visits of personalities, staging various satirical scenarios. This man's face is a ndoma "portrait" mask. This type of mask often represents an idealized character, and appears at the end of entertainment dance ceremonies. When the subject of a portrait mask dies, the mask is no longer used. Each of these masks is distinguished by the hairstyles, the location and the choice of scarifications.
Grainy matte patina. Abrasions, chip on the ...

African Eket art.
This statue with articulated arms rises from a base around which the basketwork and fabrics concealing the dancer were fixed. The semi-bent legs evoke the tribal mbobo dance of young girls during the Ogbom ceremonies, taking place in front of the altar at the end of periods of seclusion. The crest masks were then kept near the chimney flues of the huts in order to be protected from insects. Dark patina with marbled relief, kaolin highlights. Eroded base. The Eket, established in the south-east of Nigeria, are a subgroup of the Ibibio ethnic group known for their expressive masks. They are a patrilineal society whose villages are governed by the Ekpo Ndem Isong, a group of elders and leaders of extended families. Their decisions are reinforced by members of the Ekpo ...

Among the diversity of African sculptures Zande, this African mask, reminiscent of certain Kongo masks, offers a surface coated with colored bands. Matte patina, erosions.
Height on base: 49 cm.
Formerly known as "Niam-Niam" because they were considered cannibals, the tribes grouped under the name of Zande, Azandé, settled, from Chad, on the border of the DRC (Zaire), Sudan and the Central African Republic. According to their beliefs, man would be endowed with two souls, one of which transforms upon his death into the totem animal of the clan to which he belongs. The African tribal art of the Zande, or "those who own a lot of land", apart from their court art composed of spoons, receptacles, pipes and harps, includes two types of statues: Kudu statues with a height of ...

A mutation of the Fang Ngil mask, and performing a similar function, the African Bikereu or Bikeghe masks caricatured European settlers and appeared after the colonial government banned the Ngil justice mask. The prominent eyebrows overhang half-closed eyes framing an imposing nose. The narrow mouth has a mustache shape. Like the aduma masks, this mask is divided into colored zones. Abraded matte patina, halos.
Among the Fang, the male brotherhood of the Ngil had the main task of fighting against sorcerers and criminals. These masks were also worn for the initiation of its new members. Their white color, a reference to the deceased, means that the mask embodied an ancestral spirit. The mask has forbidding features intended to surprise accompanied by many acolytes, at nightfall, ...

Equipped with zoomorphic attributes linked to the antelope or duinker, the main game of the kwele region, this African mask Kwele Pipibuze, Pipibudze, ( "the man") symbolizes the light and clairvoyance required to overcome witchcraft. The horns meet here under the chin, surrounding the face. This type of mask was not always intended to be worn, but adorned the walls of the huts. Velvety two-tone patina, drying cracks and abrasions.
Depending on the presence of horns and their arrangement, the masks are called pibibudzé, Ekuku zokou, etc...and are associated with ancestors or forest spirits, "ekuk". A tribe of the Kota group, the Kwélé, Bakwélé, live in the forest on the northern border of the Republic of Congo. They live from hunting, agriculture and metallurgy. Practicing ...

Ex-French collection of African art African mask Kwele Pipibuze, Pipibudze, ("the man") referring to the antelope or duinker, the main game of the kwele region. This type of mask was not always intended to be worn, but adorned the walls of the huts. Abraded patina, minor gaps.
Depending on the presence of horns and their arrangement, the masks are called pibibudzé, Ekuku zokou, etc...and are associated with ancestors or forest spirits, "ekuk". A tribe of the Kota group, the Kwélé, Bakwélé, live in the forest on the northern border of the Republic of Congo. They live from hunting, agriculture and metallurgy. Practicing the cult called Bwété borrowed from the Ngwyes, which was accompanied by obligatory initiation rites, they used at the end of the ceremonies in ...

African art among the Fang.

Formerly called Pahouins, the Fang form a very large ethnic group settled, following migrations, in Central Africa, in the three republics of Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon. Barrel-shaped, this mask offers faces with joined eyebrows. At the top, a cruciform crest refers to the hairstyle worn by the Fang. Linked to the cult of ancestors, the Byéri, this mask was responsible for discerning troublemakers, especially sorcerers. It comes out nowadays for entertainment festivals. It also appears now during festivals, funerals, birth celebrations, and on the occasion of an important decision within the village. It was also worn by the Fang men Okak and Ntoumou, Ntumu, from Equatorial Guinea during a dance associated with the cult of the Byeri. It ...

French collection of African art .
Mende helmet mask with animal motif, associated with bundu ritual initiations. The atypical face is reminiscent of Bassa statuary. Patina consisting of a thin brown film, locally flaking. Chips and abrasions. The Mende, Vaï and Gola cultures of Sierra Leone, Liberia and the west coast of Guinea are known for helmet masks including those of the Sandé women's initiation society that prepares young girls for marriage. The Mende masks called Sowei are made by men and worn by women. The Bassa group of Liberia is established in the coastal region, more particularly around Grand-Bassa.

Rare Budja crest or crest accompanied by its facial mask, the stylized crests being associated with mythical animals and birds. These abstract masks are used to promote hunting or for agrarian ceremonies. 300 km to the southeast, similar models were used by the Ngbaka during initiation and circumcision ceremonies called Gaza kola (initiation of the forest). Height on base: 73 cm.
A Bantu people originating from the upper part of the Itimbiri River in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Mbuza, Budja, or Budzas, occupy the forest region of Mongala, mainly around Bumba. They are related to the Banda groups of the Central African Republic (Togbo, Banda, ...) with whom they share different beliefs and traditions.

Large orbits associated with the owl's perceptive qualities distinguish this African mask. The discreet mouth and nose form tiny projections. These masks appeared during Bwami ceremonies, and during circumcision and initiation rites. Polychrome matte patina.

The Bembe ethnic group is a Luba branch that is said to have left the Congo in the 18th century. Their society and artistic tendency are marked by the influence of neighboring ethnic groups in the Lake Tanganyika region, the Lega, the Buyu, etc. Indeed, like the Lega, the Bembe had a Bwami association responsible for initiation and structuring society, but while the Bwami was exclusive among the Lega, other associations coexisted among the Bembe. Evoking a forest spirit, this tribal mask was kept in sacred caves and was ...

Gelede mask depicting a face surmounted by a horseman on his mount. In Nigeria, also in Benin, this type of African mask is used during the joyful dances of the Gelede society, and on the occasion of the funerals of its followers. These masks often illustrate proverbs and are produced in pairs, each with a specific name. Grainy matte patina, small accidents.
The Gelede country in Nigeria pays homage to mothers, especially the oldest among them, whose powers are said to be comparable to those of the Yoruba gods, or orisa, and ancestors, osi and who can be used for the benefit but also for the misfortune of society. In the latter case these women are called aje. The masked ceremonies, through performances using masks, costumes and dances, are meant to urge mothers to use their ...

The African masks of the Yombe, very naturalistic, were used by the diviner nganga diphoba and by members of secret societies.
This type of mask, of which there are different variants, would be called Khimba, according to Marc Léo Félix. Two-tone patina, abrasions, shine.
Height on base: 29 cm.
A clan of the Kongo group, the Yombe are established on the west coast of Africa, in the south-west of the Republic of Congo and in Angola. Their statuary includes remarkable maternities. The Vili , the Lâri, the Sûndi, the Woyo, the Bembe, the Bwende, the Yombé and the Kôngo formed the Kôngo group, led by King ntotela . Their kingdom reached its peak in the 16th century with the trade in ivory, copper and the slave trade. With the same beliefs and traditions, they produced ...

In Mali, the didactic masquerades of the sogobo are populated by animal masks. This tradition of puppet theater is common to the multi-ethnic peoples living in the interior delta of the Niger, including the Bozo and the Malinké. Unlike the ciwara masks linked to agrarian rites, these zoomorphic masks are masks of theatrical festivities, referring to local myths and tales. Grainy patina of use, desication cracks, alterations.
Established in central and southern Mali, in a savannah zone, the Bambara, "Bamana" or "unbelievers", as the Muslims have named them, belong to the large Mande group, with the Soninke and the Malinke. Mainly farmers, but also breeders, they make up the largest ethnic group in Mali. Animists, they believe in the existence of a creator god generically called ...

African art Kongo.
This type of African mask would have been the prerogative of the nganga, priest-soothsayer. The glazed gaze would reflect mediumistic abilities, which the Kongo believed to promote through the use of hallucinogenic substances. This type of mask was called ngobudi. Abraded matte patina, cracks from drying.
Height on base: 54 cm.
These mediator masks, also present in initiatory processes, were used by fetishists during healing rituals. At the same time, they also served to identify individuals who, through their actions, could disrupt the harmony of the community. In the 13th century, the Kongo people, led by their king Ne Kongo, settled in a region at the crossroads between present-day DRC, Angola and Gabon. The "ntotela" king controlled the ...

French African Art Collection J. Anquetil, President of French Crafts, comedian who became master weaver having been initiated among the Dogon of Mali, and author of several books including "Africa, the Hands of the World" published by Solar Editions.
Accompanying the mukanda ceremonies, this mask offers discreet scarifications, unpierced eyes, and a prominent chin. Smooth red patina, satin surface.
The masks of the Chokwe, Luda, Luvale/Lwena, Luchazi and Mbunda clans are called "makishi" (sing. likishi) in Zambia. This name comes from "kishi", a Bantu concept that evokes the ...

The African mask Mbole appears on stage during the funerals of Lilwa dignitaries or is used by the blacksmith during circumcision rituals. Flat, oval in shape, it offers discreet reliefs accentuating the eyebrow line that is enhanced by contrasting shades. Height on base: 38 cm.
The Lualaba province had several closely related ethnic groups with similar associations. The Mbole and the Yela are known for their statues embodying, according to D. Biebuck, hanged men, called ofika. The lilwa, an association with dogmatic initiation rites, had the custom of judging and condemning to hanging those guilty of infractions of the imposed rules, which nevertheless remained exceptional. These offences ranged from murder to adultery to breaking the secret surrounding the lilwa. Dishonoured, the ...

Plank mask whose only relief resides in a prominent forehead extended by an imposing triangular nose. The diamond-shaped mouth streaked with teeth is a particularity of certain eastern Kete masks.
Grainy matte patina, polychrome highlights, cracks.
The Kete, established between the Luba and the Songye, have intermingled with the Kuba and the Tschokwe and derive their subsistence from hunting, net fishing, and agriculture. Their matrilineal society worships nature spirits called mungitchi through offerings and incantations. Believing in reincarnation, they also fear a supreme god called mboom. The rituals of their initiation societies are different from those of the Kuba. Some Kete villages used to pay tax to the King of the Kuba. Groups borrowed masks from their neighbors ...

Ex-Belgian collection of African tribal art In use within clans living in the north of the Ituri region by the society of Nkunda diviners, this African mask called Nsembu is produced in male-female pairs. Pastillage refers to the animal world and the patterns that adorn bodies during initiatory rites.

Matte patina. Abrasions. Height on base: 52 cm.
The Kumu, Bakumu, Komo, live mainly in the North-East and the center in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Their Bantu language is komo or kikomo. Several ethnic groups are closely intertwined, with similar associations: the Mbole, the Yela, the Lengola, and the Metoko. Their artistic production also presents great similarities with that of the Metoko and Lengola. Their divination masks were exhibited during the closing ...

This African mask Lega indicated the stage that its holder had reached within the Bwami, a learning society composed of different grades. Thick partially chipped kaolin patina. Desication cracks.
Within the Léga, the Bwami society, open to men and women, organized social and political life. There were up to seven levels of initiation, each associated with emblems. Following their exodus from Uganda during the 17th century, the Lega settled on the west bank of the Lualaba River in the DRC. The role of chief, kindi, is held by the oldest man in the clan, who must be the highest ranking. Social recognition and authority also had to be earned individually: the chief owed his selection to his heart (mutima), good character, intelligence, and irreproachable behavior. During ritual ...

African mask Makonde embodying an ancestral spirit, depicting a face whose lip bears a labret.
The ancestors would return masked in order to mark their satisfaction following the initiation. The relief patterns refer to traditional Makonde tattoos and scarifications.
Smooth, velvety, golden beige patina. Desication cracks, slight losses.

The Makonde of northern Mozambique and southern Tanzania wore helmet masks called lipiko during initiation ceremonies for young people. The Makonde venerate an ancestor, which explains the abundance of naturalistic female statuary. Besides the face masks worn during mapiko dances and ngoma ceremonies that educate young people about the demands of marriage and family life. the Makonde also produce body masks featuring the female ...

This large African maskof male type is said to be a variant of the mask of the royal ancestor Sachihongo worn by the circumcised young people of the Mukanda society at the end of their initiation of a period of of several months. In Zambia, mask traditions include a series of specific masks distinguished by their character, demeanor and physiognomy. Among the Chokwe, Luvale, Lunda, Luchasi and Mbunda of Zambia they are called makishi, (sing. likishi), while in Angola and D.R.C. they are known as makishi (sing. mukishi). The sculptor will not name the mask and its costume as such, but rather "the head", and the "body" to define the masked entity. The dancer, then embodying the ancestral spirit, will not be held responsible for his actions during the masked demonstrations. The likishi ...