Bobo Ceremonial Mask
Museum-grade artifact
20th century
Burkina Faso
Certificate of Authenticity
Burkina Faso
A vertically extended Bobo mask of blade-like form, defined by a central lozenge spine and a rhythm of pierced, geometric surface.
Description
A vertically extended mask of openwork structure, attributed to the Bobo.
The form rises into a tall, blade-like panel pierced with repeated horizontal openings. A vertical ridge of lozenge motifs runs through the centre, flanked by alternating bands of zigzag and linear incision, cut through at regular intervals to create a structured visual rhythm.
Below, a conical base encircles the head, carved with repeating triangular registers and a row of perforations at the lower edge. Lateral elements mark the junction of blade and base.
Pigment — white against a darkened ground — is retained across the surface, with variation at raised planes consistent with handling.
Context
Among the Bobo, masks of this type are associated with agricultural and initiation cycles, performed in ensemble where vertical extension and openwork structure serve the demands of movement.
Provenance
From the Felice Maffei Collection
Acquired in Burkina Faso, 1971
Available on private enquiry.
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