Baule people, Ivory Coast

22 inches, painted wood

Brightly painted with enamel, this large mask of a female spirit would have been partially held in place with the bite bar tied to the rear. African art is not usually thought of as being "art for art’s sake" but Baule art may come the closest. Typically the masks are both well sculpted and beautifully colored. The Baule are one of the Akan peoples. They moved west to the Ivory Coast more than 200 years ago and adopted masking traditions from their neighbors, the Guro, Senufo and Yaure peoples. Historically, the name comes from the story of Queen Aba Pkou who led her people to the area in the 18th century.

$595