A Senufo Kpelié mask, Ivory Coast, region Korhogo, between the village of Kanoroba and the village of Diahara. Incl. stand. This carved wooden anthropomorphic-zoomorphic mask is a classic example of a Kpélié (or Kpeliye'e) mask, used by members of the Poro secret society. The narrow, oval face—the central part of which is a highly elongated oval face with a pointed chin—is carved from dark wood with a smooth, satiny patina. The serene gaze in the eyes—represented by fine horizontal slits incised beneath discreet arched eyebrows—evokes a state of contemplation. A long, straight nose runs down the center of the face. It overlooks a circular mouth projecting forward, adorned with a grid-like pattern reminiscent of scarification marks or teeth. Ritual scarifications composed of fine parallel horizontal lines crisscross the cheekbones and cheeks. A circular motif in relief adorns the center of the forehead. The bird crest (Calao) at the top of the mask is surmounted by the long, curved neck and head of a bird, whose beak plunges toward the forehead. The bird’s head ends in a checkered protrusion. On either side of the cheeks are broad, horizontal, rectangular wings engraved with parallel lines. These alternate with small triangular or pointed protrusions along the edges. Two large, flat, downward-curving horn-like protrusions frame the upper part of the skull, decorated with incised lines. Kpelie-masks were worn during funeral sessions by the Poro society. These funeral festivities are marked by masquerades, which symbolically expresses the fundamental dualities in Senufo Thought: male/female, body/spirit, life/death. In general this type of mask is symbolizing an ideal woman. The unique features which characterize the Kpelié mask include elongated flanges radiating from the bottom part of the mask, which are a reference to the hornbill bird. The horns on the mask refer to the ram, an important sacrificial animal. The nodules on the forehead represent palm nuts as well as vulvas; they are flanked by cicatrization marks that symbolize the twins born to the primordial couple. The significance of the double face are not known, but double- and single- faced Kpelié are used interchangably. Source: Facing the Mask, Herreman, Frank, Museum for African Art. Lit.: Holas, B., L´Art Sacré Sénoufo, Limoges, 1978, Facing the Mask, Herreman, Frank, Museum for African Art. s. publ Wolfgang Jaenicke "Forbidden games", about the patina of Senufo Kpelie-Masks. Lit.: Holas, Bohumil, L'art sacré sénoufo. Ses différentes expressions dans la vie sociale, Limoges, 1978. Herreman, Frank, Facing the Mask, Museum for African Art, New York, 2002. Till Foerster, Divination bei den Kafibele-Senufo. Zur Aushandlung und Bewältigung von Alltagskonflikten, Berlin, 1985. Wolfgang Jaenicke, Forbidden games. Kat. Ausst. Die Kunst der Senufo: Elfenbeinküste. Mit einem Beitrag von Till Förster, Staatliche Museen der Preußischer Kulturbesitz, Museum für Völkerkunde Berlin, 16.11.1990 - 24.2.1991, Berlin 1990; Lorenz Homberger: Künstler in Werkstätten der Senufo. In: Eberhard Fischer/Lorenz Homberger: Afrikanische Meister. Kunst der Elfenbeinküste, Zurüch 2014, p. 151-178; Die Kunst der Senufo, Museum Rietberg Zürich, aus Schweizer Sammlung, Zürich 1988. Lit.: Kat. Ausst. Die Kunst der Senufo: Elfenbeinküste. Mit einem Beitrag von Till Förster, Staatliche Museen der Preußischer Kulturbesitz, Museum für Völkerkunde Berlin, 16.11.1990 - 24.2.1991, Berlin 1990; Lorenz Homberger: Künstler in Werkstätten der Senufo. In: Eberhard Fischer/Lorenz Homberger: Afrikanische Meister. Kunst der Elfenbeinküste, Zurüch 2014, p. 151-178; Die Kunst der Senufo, Museum Rietberg Zürich, aus Schweizer Sammlung, Zürich 1988; Holas, B., L´Art Sacré Sénoufo, Limoges, 1978; Frank Herreman: Facing the Mask, Museum for African Art, New York 2002; Wolfgang Jaenicke blog "Forbidden games". Some of the information is generated by artificial intelligence and is based on published sources from the fields of ethnography, archaeology, and art history. Informant Bakari M*A*Z*1*5*9*2*4* The seller guarantees and can prove that the object was obtained legally. The seller was informed by Catawiki that they had to provide the documentation required by the laws and regulations in their country of residence. The seller guarantees and is entitled to sell/export this object. The seller will provide all provenance information known about the object to the buyer. The seller ensures that any necessary permits are/will be arranged. The seller will inform the buyer immediately about any delays in obtaining such permits.