一个木制面具 - Baule - 象牙海岸 (沒有保留價)

Baule celebratory mask, Béoumi region, Ivory Coast. Incl stand.

The mask is carved from a single block of wood. It has an elongated and slightly trapezoidal shape. The face is treated in slight relief on a relatively flat facial plate, which accentuates its elegance and sobriety. The eyes are half-closed, sculpted into fine protruding almonds. This expression evokes calm, self-control and restraint, qualities highly valued in the Baule aesthetic ideal. The nose is long, straight and narrow and the mouth is small and slightly open, with a rectangular opening. The cheeks are full but discreetly modeled, without volumetric exaggeration including small geometric patterns near the temples; some vertical lines on the forehead and cheeks. Scarifications constitute markers of beauty, social status or regional identity in Baule sculpture.

In Baule art, hairstyles are often one of the main signs of refinement and social identity. Sculptors frequently devote a large part of their inventiveness to it.

Béoumi lies in the north-central Baule cultural zone, within the transitional savanna–forest belt of Ivory Coast. Historically positioned between the core Baule political centers to the south and Senufo territories to the north, the region developed as a site of agricultural production, regional exchange, and artistic circulation.

While Baule identity is rooted in Akan-speaking migrations traditionally associated with Queen Pokou, northern Baule regions such as Béoumi evolved distinctive artistic expressions shaped by proximity to non-Akan groups. This geographic position contributed to the development of masking traditions that differ in tone and structure from the refined portrait masks (Mblo) of central Baule courts. Baule horn masks from the Béoumi region are distinguished by their striking visual architecture and symbolic resonance. They typically feature a circular or disc-like face, often framed by prominent projecting horns resembling those of an antelope. Facial elements are rendered in bold geometric forms, with tubular or cylindrical eyes that enhance the mask’s expressive clarity. Surfaces are painted in high-contrast combinations of white, black, and red pigments, emphasizing the mask’s dramatic presence.

Symmetry and frontal impact are central to the design, projecting authority and visibility in performance contexts. The upward sweep of the horns establishes a dynamic vertical axis, visually energizing the figure while symbolizing power, vitality, and a connection to both natural and spiritual realms. This formal vocabulary contrasts sharply with the restrained elegance and introspective refinement of Baule portrait masks, highlighting the distinct function and aesthetic of Goli masquerades in the Béoumi region.

Reference Literature
Baule: African Art, Western Eyes Susan M. Vogel.
Baule: African Art, Western Eyes. New Haven, Yale University Press, 1997.
Alain-Michel Boyer. Art of the Baule. 5 Continents / Hazan, 1993.
Susan M. Vogel (dir.).
For Spirits and Kings: African Art from the Paul and Ruth Tishman Collection.
New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1981.
Baule Art as the Expression of a World View, Susan M. Vogel.
Baule Art as the Expression of a World View.
Thèse de doctorat, New York University, 1977. Travail fondamental sur les fondements philosophiques et esthétiques de l'art baoulé.
Philip Ravenhill. « Likeness and Nearness: The Intentionality of the Head in Baule Art ». African Arts.

This information is created by AI and based on published ethnographic and art-historical sources.