A Bwa plank mask, Burkina Faso, of large proportions, a circular face with a lozenge-shaped open pierced mouth with rows of teeth, concentric circles for eyes, a nose in shape of triangle, atop a tall superstructure with complex series of planks of different forms, attached to the superstructure are stacked inverted vertical hooks, surmounted by standing female and male figures, the whole piece decorated with incised patterns and painted with red, white and black pigments in an effective and starkly contrasting manner, around the rim pierced through for attachment; the entire mask is carved from a single piece of wood, traces of use and age, several cracks, incl. stand.

"Plank mask such as this example are the major artistic expression of the southern Bwa. The masks are signboards or tables on which the graphic patterns communicate the ethical and moral values of the community. these are religious laws that the people of the community must observe if they are to receive the blessings of God. The black and white checkerboard (...) represents the value of lifelong learning. The black rectangles represent the sacred goat-hide mats darkened by decades of use by seated senior elders during mask performances, while the white rectangles represent the new, white goat hides given to young initiates. The zigzag (...) is the path of the ancestors."

Lit.: Christopher D. Roy/Thomas G.B. Wheelock: Land of the Flying Masks. Art and Culture in Burkina Faso. The Thomas G. B. Wheelock Collection, München 2007, p. 410f.

900 - 1.200,- Euro

Height: 112 cm
Weight: 6,80 kg