Baule

Characteristics of the mask. Based on style and decoration, the mask features elements attributable to various ethnic traditions of Central and Western Africa:

Baoulé Ethnic Group (Ivory Coast): Similar masks are described as "passport masks" or ceremonial masks of the Baoulé group, often handmade and embellished with small beads and shells.

Songye/Luba Culture (Democratic Republic of the Congo): Many elements, such as the elongated shape and the striations (which here seem mimicked by the bead lines), recall the style of Kifwebe masks.

Tikar People (Cameroon): Some specimens similar in decoration and subject are also attributed to the Tikar tribe of Cameroon.

Construction Details
Material: Carved wood (often wenge or mahogany for this type of tribal art).
Decorations: Intricate geometric motifs made with yellow, black and red glass beads, and inlays of cowrie shells on the forehead, eyes, and nose.

These objects are typically used both for ritual and protective purposes and as precious decorative wall elements in ethnic art.