African Arts Gallery

Ex-collection French tribal art.
This African mask of the Baoulé offers a regular face with discreet traditional scarifications. Its abstract crest evokes baoulé combs in ivory. Tiny ears, which form with the diamond engraved necklace one of the stylistic conventions of the mask-portraits, are noteworthy. Dark brown shiny patina and kaolin highlights.
These portrait masks of the Baoulé, ndoma , which are part of one of the oldest baoulé artistic traditions and frequently represent an idealized character, have the peculiarity of manifesting themselves at the end of the ceremonies of entertainment dances. The latter are named, depending on the regions, bedwo, ngblo, mblo, adjussu, etc. Each of these masks is distinguished by the hairstyles, the location and the choice of scarifications. They perform during dance events accompanied by music and songs, celebrations, visits of personalities, staging various satirical scenarios. The Gbagba Of The Baoulé personify graceful young girls or men whose valour or integrity qualities are renowned. The new generations are gradually replacing these dances Mblo called Gbagba in some villages, retaining most of the old conventions, with the dance Kpan Kpan , whose masks raise societal problems or refer to political projects.