The Baule people of central Ivory Coast carve ‘portrait masks’, such as the present one, in order to ‘caricature’ well-known members of their society on the occasion of grand dance feasts (the so-called ‘Mblo dances’) in their villages. The dancers wearing these masks and costumes theatrically praise, caricature or criticise the persons represented. Some of these popular portrait masks also bear the name of the individual represented. In this case, they are called ‘Ndoma masks’, which corresponds to ‘the doppelgänger of ...’. The mask is carved from hard, brown wood and coloured black and brown on the front side. The hairstyle shows delicate lines, a high middle crest as well as four smaller crests and short plaits on both sides. The face displays scarification marks typical of the tribe on the forehead and both cheeks. It has wide eyebrows, large, slit coffee bean eyes (that show the remains of a white outline), a long, slender nose and a small protruding mouth. The upper, undyed edge has two fastening eyelets on both sides – for the mask costume – and underneath two holes in which to place the bite bar for the masked dancer. A perfect portrait mask with a very good, old usage patina. No damage. Height: 27 cm; first half of the 20th century. (ME)

Provenance:
André Dasonville Collection, Paris; Austrian private collection.

Lit.:
'Baule. African Art, Western Eyes' by Susan M. Vogel, ill. p. 7, 27, 143, 162, 168; 'Trésors de Cote d'Ivoire' by Francois Neyt, ill. 129, 137, 146, 147; 'Les Maitres de la sculpture de Cote d'Ivoire' by Eberhard Fischer & Lorenz Homberger, ill. 99.