Snake Mask

Burkina Faso

An extremely elongated Bwa plank mask reduced to a single rising line, articulated through dense geometric incision.

Description

A plank mask of extreme vertical proportion, attributed to the Bwa.

The form extends from a compact ovoid base into a narrow, blade-like shaft, tapering to a point and sustained as a continuous vertical line. The surface is fully worked with repeated triangular motifs contained within linear borders, establishing a steady rhythm that carries the eye upward without interruption.

At the base, a small ovoid facial element presents concentric eye motifs and curving linear patterns set against a darkened ground. This compact form anchors the composition while allowing the upper register to dominate as an uninterrupted extension.

Pigment is retained across both raised and recessed zones, with abrasion at exposed points revealing the underlying wood. The contrast between lighter relief and darker ground maintains the clarity of the carved patterning along the full height.

Context

Among the Bwa, plank masks appear in ceremonial performance where abstraction and geometry carry the visual weight. In examples such as this, form is reduced to line, proportion, and repetition — the effect depends on the sustained clarity of this single vertical gesture. Works of this scale with surface of this integrity remain uncommon.

Provenance

From the Felice Maffei Collection

Acquired Burkina Faso, 1984

Available on private enquiry.