BAULE Double Face Mask Region: Ivory Coast MATERIALS: WoodDIMENSIONS: H:11.45 x W:7.91 x L:4.034 in.Late 19th Century DESCRIPTION: This is an important Baule double face mask, which means double power in the one who wears it, or dances it. Its highlight is its serenity and beauty, while representing age and wisdom. It is the power of twins sharing a common […]
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Fang Reliquary Figure Region: Gabon MATERIALS: Wood carving, natural earth patinaDIMENSIONS: H:18.59 x W:6.6 x L:6.5 in.DESCRIPTION: Ancestral Spirit revered as person transitions from this life. Used in family worship. Power figure. The noble people that are called the “Fang” are located in a geographic region of Africa which is quite humid, accompanied with heavy rainfall, providing the backdrop for […]
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Coital Figures Region: Burkina Faso The Coital figure from the people of Burkina Faso. Lobi Figures are the enigmatic, brooding sculpture that protect the Lobi people and express their traditional beliefs. The figures were placed on family altars in the thilda, a room in each dwelling. Each figure was not a representation but an actual spirit, or tibil thil. It […]
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Prestige Object Region: African Coastal Region Dan masks are tools of communication between the world of the living and the realm of the ancestors. They are employed to resolve problems of all kinds. Face masks have idealized human features that are smoothly sculpted with a large domed forehead, a fine nose, and slightly modeled cheekbones. Masks appear frequently during initiation […]
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Fang Mask Region: Gabon The Fang people used masks in their secret societies. Members of this male society wore the Ngil masks during the initiation of new members and the persecution of wrongdoers. Masqueraders, clad in raffia costumes and attended by helpers, would materialize in the village after dark, illuminated by flickering torchlight. The Fang tribe are spread over a […]
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Standing One Leg Woman Region: Liberia “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint […]
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Mask II Region: Ivory Coast “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat […]
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Bena Lulua Kneeling Figure Region: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania Notes: OBJECT TYPE: Shrine ObjectMATERIALS: WoodOBJECT ORIGIN: Democratic Republic of the Congo , Bena Lulua PeopleDIMENSIONS: H:11.41 x W:4 x L:4.8 in.Descriptions:This is a spiritual shrine object depicting a woman kneeling in prayer. By the scarification, which is exquisitely done on a dense wood in intricate patterns typical of the […]
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Standing Woman Region: This sculpted female figure elegantly visualizes Luba concepts of feminine beauty, maturity, and civilization. Her hair is carefully arranged, and her eyes are downcast in modesty. Her body is elaborately decorated with scarification (ntapo) with named patterns inspired by things in nature. The figure’s glossy surface refers to a real-life feminine practice of applying oil nightly to […]
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Mask Region: Mali Dogon masks, such as this one called kanaga, are worn primarily at dama, a collective funerary rite for Dogon men. The ritual’s goal is to ensure the safe passage of the spirits of the deceased to the world of the ancestors. The ceremony is organized by members of Awa, a male initiation society with ritual and political […]
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