Mblo mask - Baule - Côte d'Ivoire
06
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22
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Selected by Julien Gauthier
A decade of experience in historical arms, armour, and African art.
Estimate € 220 - € 250
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Wooden Mblo mask from the Baoulé people of Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast).
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
Côte d'Ivoire
Baoulé
Bois
Height: 375mm
Width: 160mm
Depth: 155mm
Delivered without base
African wooden mask from the Baoulé ethnical group of Côte d'Ivoire.
This carved wooden anthropomorphic mask is a traditional work of the Baoulé people, who mainly live in the central regions of Côte d'Ivoire. Within their rich culture, this piece belongs to the category of portrait and entertainment masks called Mblo (or Ndoma), distinguished here by the integration of animal attributes.
1. Origin and stylistic characteristics
Baoulé art systematically seeks delicacy, harmony of lines, and elegance of detail, highlighting highly elaborate morphological and decorative criteria:
The horn crowns: The top of the mask is crowned by two large curved horns bending backward, reminiscent of a ram or an antelope. The addition of animal attributes to a human face is a common practice in Mblo masks, intended to associate the symbolic qualities of the animal (strength, agility, presence) with the honored person.
The serene face and half-closed eyes: The high, rounded forehead is marked in its center by three small vertical scarifications in relief. The arched eyebrows, blackened, meet to form a long, fine nose. The almond-shaped, half-closed eyes, whitened with kaolin, express restraint, inner wisdom, and adherence to social conventions.
The stylized mouth and beard: The mouth is small, circular, and projected forward, as if frozen in a whistle or song. Linear scarifications extend from the corners on both sides, evoking ritual mustaches. At the chin, a small flat and decorated protrusion represents a faux beard, a classic symbol of wisdom and authority.
The geometric ruff: All around the cheeks and bottom of the face is framed by a wide band of fine parallel incisions and chevrons, materializing a textile headdress or a ceremonial adornment.
The patina and the back: The exterior reveals a dark, glossy, smooth patina, showing great care in the object's conservation. The back, visible on the file CI155-2.jpg, features a deep and vigorous hollowing with the irons, revealing the natural wood texture and the openings necessary for the dancer's vision and side fixation perforations.
2. Social use and ritual: Mblo festivities
Unlike sacred cult or justice masks (often restricted to the gaze of laypeople), the Mblo mask is a public and festive work.
Entertainment dances: It appears during theatrical performances and choreographic rejoicings called Gbagba or Mblo. These celebrations are organized to amuse villagers, honor the funerals of notable figures, or warmly welcome important visitors.
The magnified portrait of an individual: This type of mask is commissioned to pay homage to a respected community member (usually a woman admired for her beauty or a man esteemed for his virtues). The sculptor does not create a realistic portrait, but assembles idealized physical traits (symmetry, finesse, carefully styled hair) to materialize the beauty of the soul and the moral excellence of the person celebrated.
The stage performance: The mask bearer is fully covered by a heavy costume made of cloths and plant fibers that conceal the body. They execute complex dance steps to the rhythm of drums, often accompanied by the person to whom the mask pays homage, amid the village's cheers.
3. Symbolic meaning
In Baoulé country, aesthetic beauty of a mask is inseparable from the notion of moral goodness. The harmony of the face's proportions, combined with the calm power of the animal horns, recalls the importance of community values: the elegance of the mind, temperance, self-control, and the harmonious integration of man within his natural and social environment.
Packages are shipped quickly from Monday to Saturday with a tracking number.
Delivery in France: 1 to 3 days and 2 to 5 days across Europe. Worldwide delivery.
We speak English.
Mask African art Afrikanische Maskenkunst arte de máscaras africanas arte delle maschere africane
statue african art Arte de estatuas africanas arte delle statue africane Afrikanische Maskenkunst
Máscara de estatua de galería de arte africano
Seller's Story
Passionate about World Arts and more specifically about African Art, we buy from collectors, former officials, military, health workers, public works staff who have worked in Africa and also in Côte d'Ivoire, from antique dealers and traders who roam across West Africa to find quality objects.
It is with pride that we present works that, beyond their power to beautify spaces, invite our collectors to resonate with the richness and depth of human expression through the most authentic art.
At Arts Ethniques Gallery, we have the privilege of offering our visitors an exclusive selection of artworks, all unique and original. Each piece presented is the outcome of a demanding artistic approach, driven by a singular vision and mastered craftsmanship, all elements that guarantee authenticity and value.
The works we offer are not industrial reproductions. They are individual creations, crafted with sensitivity and precision, each bearing its own story, identity and presence. Originality is the very foundation of our commitment to excellence. Thus, every mask and every statue in our collection is the subject of a rigorous selection, in order to preserve their rarity and singularity.
Acquiring a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery means owning a truly unique piece: a creation that embodies both talent, cultural memory and the expressive force of African art. It is also a lasting investment in a work whose artistic and emotional value transcends time.
We guarantee that every work leaving our gallery is an authentic piece, without replicas, bearing witness to the creativity, heritage and passion of the African artists who shaped them.
We invite you to participate in our gallery’s auctions with confidence. Each presented work is an original, unique and irreplaceable creation, selected with the greatest rigor to guarantee its authenticity and artistic value.
Whether you wish to enrich a personal collection or introduce an exceptional artwork into your space, Arts Ethniques Gallery offers a safe, transparent and professional setting to acquire remarkable pieces.
Art auctions are a privileged moment to discover rare works, capable of becoming the heart of a collection. Acquiring a work at our sales is not just buying an object: it is investing in a creation whose aesthetic value and cultural reach reinforce over time.
The pieces presented by Arts Ethniques Gallery testify not only to the talent and vision of the artists but also possess the ability to transform spaces and enrich the gaze of those who behold them.
Participating in our auctions is taking part in a singular experience, where the passion for art meets the rigors of collecting. Bidding on a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery goes beyond a simple transaction: it is a gesture of commitment and appreciation for art in its most authentic form.
We invite you to bid with passion and to join us in this adventure dedicated to discovery, transmission and celebration of art.
Perhaps your next heart piece is already waiting for you."
Translated by Google TranslateCôte d'Ivoire
Baoulé
Bois
Height: 375mm
Width: 160mm
Depth: 155mm
Delivered without base
African wooden mask from the Baoulé ethnical group of Côte d'Ivoire.
This carved wooden anthropomorphic mask is a traditional work of the Baoulé people, who mainly live in the central regions of Côte d'Ivoire. Within their rich culture, this piece belongs to the category of portrait and entertainment masks called Mblo (or Ndoma), distinguished here by the integration of animal attributes.
1. Origin and stylistic characteristics
Baoulé art systematically seeks delicacy, harmony of lines, and elegance of detail, highlighting highly elaborate morphological and decorative criteria:
The horn crowns: The top of the mask is crowned by two large curved horns bending backward, reminiscent of a ram or an antelope. The addition of animal attributes to a human face is a common practice in Mblo masks, intended to associate the symbolic qualities of the animal (strength, agility, presence) with the honored person.
The serene face and half-closed eyes: The high, rounded forehead is marked in its center by three small vertical scarifications in relief. The arched eyebrows, blackened, meet to form a long, fine nose. The almond-shaped, half-closed eyes, whitened with kaolin, express restraint, inner wisdom, and adherence to social conventions.
The stylized mouth and beard: The mouth is small, circular, and projected forward, as if frozen in a whistle or song. Linear scarifications extend from the corners on both sides, evoking ritual mustaches. At the chin, a small flat and decorated protrusion represents a faux beard, a classic symbol of wisdom and authority.
The geometric ruff: All around the cheeks and bottom of the face is framed by a wide band of fine parallel incisions and chevrons, materializing a textile headdress or a ceremonial adornment.
The patina and the back: The exterior reveals a dark, glossy, smooth patina, showing great care in the object's conservation. The back, visible on the file CI155-2.jpg, features a deep and vigorous hollowing with the irons, revealing the natural wood texture and the openings necessary for the dancer's vision and side fixation perforations.
2. Social use and ritual: Mblo festivities
Unlike sacred cult or justice masks (often restricted to the gaze of laypeople), the Mblo mask is a public and festive work.
Entertainment dances: It appears during theatrical performances and choreographic rejoicings called Gbagba or Mblo. These celebrations are organized to amuse villagers, honor the funerals of notable figures, or warmly welcome important visitors.
The magnified portrait of an individual: This type of mask is commissioned to pay homage to a respected community member (usually a woman admired for her beauty or a man esteemed for his virtues). The sculptor does not create a realistic portrait, but assembles idealized physical traits (symmetry, finesse, carefully styled hair) to materialize the beauty of the soul and the moral excellence of the person celebrated.
The stage performance: The mask bearer is fully covered by a heavy costume made of cloths and plant fibers that conceal the body. They execute complex dance steps to the rhythm of drums, often accompanied by the person to whom the mask pays homage, amid the village's cheers.
3. Symbolic meaning
In Baoulé country, aesthetic beauty of a mask is inseparable from the notion of moral goodness. The harmony of the face's proportions, combined with the calm power of the animal horns, recalls the importance of community values: the elegance of the mind, temperance, self-control, and the harmonious integration of man within his natural and social environment.
Packages are shipped quickly from Monday to Saturday with a tracking number.
Delivery in France: 1 to 3 days and 2 to 5 days across Europe. Worldwide delivery.
We speak English.
Mask African art Afrikanische Maskenkunst arte de máscaras africanas arte delle maschere africane
statue african art Arte de estatuas africanas arte delle statue africane Afrikanische Maskenkunst
Máscara de estatua de galería de arte africano
Seller's Story
Passionate about World Arts and more specifically about African Art, we buy from collectors, former officials, military, health workers, public works staff who have worked in Africa and also in Côte d'Ivoire, from antique dealers and traders who roam across West Africa to find quality objects.
It is with pride that we present works that, beyond their power to beautify spaces, invite our collectors to resonate with the richness and depth of human expression through the most authentic art.
At Arts Ethniques Gallery, we have the privilege of offering our visitors an exclusive selection of artworks, all unique and original. Each piece presented is the outcome of a demanding artistic approach, driven by a singular vision and mastered craftsmanship, all elements that guarantee authenticity and value.
The works we offer are not industrial reproductions. They are individual creations, crafted with sensitivity and precision, each bearing its own story, identity and presence. Originality is the very foundation of our commitment to excellence. Thus, every mask and every statue in our collection is the subject of a rigorous selection, in order to preserve their rarity and singularity.
Acquiring a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery means owning a truly unique piece: a creation that embodies both talent, cultural memory and the expressive force of African art. It is also a lasting investment in a work whose artistic and emotional value transcends time.
We guarantee that every work leaving our gallery is an authentic piece, without replicas, bearing witness to the creativity, heritage and passion of the African artists who shaped them.
We invite you to participate in our gallery’s auctions with confidence. Each presented work is an original, unique and irreplaceable creation, selected with the greatest rigor to guarantee its authenticity and artistic value.
Whether you wish to enrich a personal collection or introduce an exceptional artwork into your space, Arts Ethniques Gallery offers a safe, transparent and professional setting to acquire remarkable pieces.
Art auctions are a privileged moment to discover rare works, capable of becoming the heart of a collection. Acquiring a work at our sales is not just buying an object: it is investing in a creation whose aesthetic value and cultural reach reinforce over time.
The pieces presented by Arts Ethniques Gallery testify not only to the talent and vision of the artists but also possess the ability to transform spaces and enrich the gaze of those who behold them.
Participating in our auctions is taking part in a singular experience, where the passion for art meets the rigors of collecting. Bidding on a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery goes beyond a simple transaction: it is a gesture of commitment and appreciation for art in its most authentic form.
We invite you to bid with passion and to join us in this adventure dedicated to discovery, transmission and celebration of art.
Perhaps your next heart piece is already waiting for you."
Translated by Google TranslateDetails
Indigenous object name
Mblo mask
Ethnic group/ culture
Baule
Country of Origin
Côte d'Ivoire
Material
Wood
Sold with stand
No
Condition
Excellent condition
Sold by
