20th Century Baga Nimba Mask from Guinea

Item Details

Unknown
Untitled
Carved wooden sculpture with raffia, beads, and metal
Unsigned

A 20th century Baga Nimba mask from Guinea. This exceptional mask depicts the form of a hybrid woman and bird figure associated with fertility. It features embossed metal embellishments to the face, beaded earrings, a raffia skirt, and many metal rings to its beak-like nose and head crest. This immense mask would be worn on a dancer’s shoulders with a long raffia skirt to celebrate agricultural festivals, births, funerals, and weddings.

Condition

- dust and debris; some cracks to wood.

Dimensions

Item #

18DCC450-004