A Senufo Kpelie mask, of hollowed form, a rounded, protruding, small mouth with two rows of teeth and and a lip plug through the lower lip, a long, narrow, concave nose framed by slit eyes, accentuated forehead, scarification marks in symmetrical projections on both sides of the face, surmounted with a Kalao bird (hornbill), with outstretched wings; reddish to brownish patina, traces of age and ritual use, incl. stand. 

Kpelie-masks were worn during funeral sessions By the Poro society. These funeral festivities are marked by masquerades, which symbolically expresses the fundamental dualities in Senufo Thought: mal/female, body, spitit, life/death. In general this type of mask is symbolizing an ideal woman. The unique features which characterize the Kpelie mask include elongated flanges radiating from the bottom part of the mask, which are a reference to the hornbill bird. The horns on the mask refer to the ram, an important sacrificial animal. The nodules on the forehead represent palm nuts as well as vulvas; they are flanked by cicatrization marks that symbolize the twins born to the primordial couple.The significance of the double face are not known, but double- and single- faced Kpelie are used interchangably. A Doublehead Senufo Kpelie Mask.

Lit.: Holas, B., L´Art Sacré Sénoufo, Limoges, 1978, Facing the Mask, Herreman, Frank, Museum for African Art. s. publ.
Wolfgang Jaenicke "Forbidden games", about the patina of Senufo Kpelie-Masks.

Photo: unknown, a Senufo Kpelie mask costume.

sold

Height: 41 cm
Weight: 950 g