puinen naamio - Baule - Norsunluurannikko

A Baule-sculpture, Ivory Coast, collected in the region Daoukro. incl. stand.

WJ „Isn´t this a mask from Dimbokro, because the is a strong stylistic relation to the Tokokro village?“ Bakari Bouafé „This is a Daoukro mask, not a Dimbokro one, because Baule masks from Daoukro have round eyes, unlike the Dimbokro masks. This type of mask generally comes from the regions of Tiebissou, Sakassou, or Bouaké; only the shape of the eyes differs between these regions. This is a Baule mask from the Daoukro region.“

Totokro is a village in central Côte d’Ivoire that is known in Baule art for a distinctive style of sculpture. Some Baule masks and figures collected from Totokro are attributed to an anonymous artist referred to by scholars as the Totokro Master. This artist’s works include male portrait masks (mblo) and other figures, recognized for their specific style, such as the shape of the eyes, proportions, and facial features.

In Baule culture, villages often have their own carving traditions and stylistic traits, so identifying a piece as coming from Totokro helps experts group works by style and origin, even when the individual carver is unknown. Pieces attributed to Totokro are part of important museum collections and have appeared in Sotheby’s auctions, showing the significance of the village in the study and collection of Baule art.

CAB34948