A Beté mask, collected in the Giberoua region, Ivory Coast. Signs of ritual use and age. Incl stand. The Bété masks of Côte d’Ivoire belong to the rich and complex masking traditions of the western and central regions of the country, especially among groups such as the Bété, We (Guéré and Wobé), and other Kru-speaking peoples. While sharing certain aesthetic and performative characteristics with neighboring communities, Bété masks are distinguished by their aggressive formal vocabulary, their function within social control, and their connection to ancestral and spiritual authority. In Bété society, masks operate within a system that regulates both ritual and civic life. They often appear during ceremonies linked to initiation, funerary rites, conflict resolution, and the enforcement of community law. The mask bearer typically embodies a spirit or force that transcends the individual, serving as a conduit between the human and supernatural realms. Because the Bété lack centralized political institutions, masking associations have historically played a significant role in maintaining order and cohesion through spectacle, intimidation, and mediation. Aesthetically, Bété masks are characterized by an emphasis on asymmetry, tension, and distortion. The forms may include protruding features, deep-set eyes, and projecting horns or tusks, often enhanced with materials such as pigment, fiber, or animal hair. The visual aggression of these masks reflects their intended effect in performance: to awe, disturb, and command respect. Some scholars have argued that the violence of the mask’s appearance corresponds to its function in asserting authority and enforcing social discipline. Others suggest that the masks embody the ambivalent power of the bush, a liminal space that stands in opposition to the ordered village. The Bété mask is not an isolated art object but part of a performative ensemble. Costumes of raffia or cloth, musical accompaniment, and choreographed movement all contribute to the meaning and efficacy of the masquerade. The anonymity of the dancer reinforces the mask’s spiritual potency, while secrecy surrounding initiation and the mask’s origin underlines the sacred dimension of its use. In museum and catalogue contexts, Bété masks entered Western collections largely during the colonial and early postcolonial periods, often stripped of their contextual associations. As a result, their interpretation in art historical discourse has frequently emphasized formal qualities over social function. More recent scholarship, however, has sought to restore an understanding of these objects as active participants in community life rather than as static aesthetic artifacts. References Bognolo, Daniela. Masques de la Côte d’Ivoire. Paris: Éditions du Musée Dapper, 1998. Falgayrettes-Leveau, Christiane. Art de Côte d’Ivoire: Traditions et modernités. Paris: Musée Dapper, 1993. Fisher, Angela. Africa Adorned. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1984. Homberger, Lorenz. The Art of Côte d’Ivoire. Zurich: Museum Rietberg, 1990. Vogel, Susan Mullin. Baule: African Art, Western Eyes. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1997. Zahan, Dominique. The Religion, Spirituality, and Thought of Traditional Africa. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1979. Height: 30 cm without stand