Mblo Mask - Baule - Côte d'Ivoire

Ivory Coast Baoulé Wood Height: 400mm Width: 195mm Depth: 180mm Weight: 1.15kg Supplied without a base This carved wooden mask is a characteristic creation of the Baoulé people in Ivory Coast. 1. Geographical and cultural origin The Baoulé people: Based in the central region of Ivory Coast, the Baoulé are part of the large Akan linguistic and cultural group. Their art is renowned for its finesse, sense of proportions, and the pursuit of perfect visual harmony. The notion of moral beauty: In Baoulé statuary, the purity of lines and the care given to details (hairstyle, scarifications) are not merely aesthetic. They reflect the concept of klolo, inner beauty, dignity and spiritual maturity of an individual. 2. Ritual use and social function This anthropomorphic facial mask is mainly part of the great dances of rejoicing and sacred entertainment of the community, such as Mblo (or Gbagba). Entertainment and social cohesion: Unlike other West African masks with a purely formidable or sacred vocation, Mblo masks are designed to bring joy. They appear during village festivities, to honor the arrival of prestigious guests or to celebrate the memory of a respected elder at their funeral. The dancer, fully concealed beneath a costume, imitates human behaviors or parodies local figures to amuse and bind the community. Idealization of features: Although worn exclusively by men, these masks often depict female faces. They pay homage to a village woman renowned for her beauty, grace, or social standing, freezing her features into an eternally young and sublimated form. 3. Stylistic characteristics The piece’ craftsmanship follows very precise artistic canons: The expression of serenity: The eyes are almond-shaped, half-closed or lowered toward the ground. This attitude expresses inner life, respect, calm, and restraint, highly valued qualities among the Baoulé. The nose is fine and straight, extending with high arched eyebrows. The sophisticated hairstyle: The crown of the head is adorned with a tall sagittal crest sculpted. Its finely engraved geometric motifs imitate the braids and traditional complex hairstyles worn by distinguished women. The scarifications and patina: Scarified reliefs are visible at the corners of the lips, on the cheeks or the forehead, reproducing the identity and aesthetic marks of the ethnicity. The external face is covered with a beautiful dark patina, smooth and satin, achieved by successive applications of vegetable oils or natural pigments. The inner structure: The back of the mask is deeply hollowed to fit the dancer’s face. Two fine horizontal slits are cut at the level of the eyelids to ensure minimal visibility, while small holes around the rim allow the fabric or fiber costume to be securely tied to the mask. Packages are dispatched quickly from Monday to Saturday with a tracking number. Delivery takes 1 to 3 days in France and 2 to 5 days across Europe. Worldwide shipping. We speak english. Mask african art Afrikanische Maskenkunst arte de máscaras africanas arte delle maschere africane statue african art Arte de estatuas africanas arte delle statue africane Afrikanische Maskenkunst Máscara de estatua de galería de arte africano

Schätzpreis:€150

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