Browse Items (43 total)

Baule people are prolific carvers. A statue is usually on a base with legs bent slightly, and hands at rest on the abdomen to communicate a feeling of peacefulness. The coiffure is generally detailed. The statue represents the spirit of the bush and…

Carved wood male face mask in a dark brown patina with white kaolin highlights. The small carved beard has a woven rope and raffia beard attached to it and fabric behind it.

One of the stylish features of many of the Chokwe masks is an exaggerated bone structure and a broad mouth exemplified by this mask. The scarification in the center of the forehead is referred to as cingelyengelye. The Chokwe have had an artistic…

This tear drop-shaped face mask is made of carved wood with a varied dark brown patina. The hair is a wrapped fiber braid and the ears have twisted copper earrings. Attached to the chin are four brass bells and an animal tooth. The back of the mask…

This oval mask has simple features with brass tacks. A smaller head on a long neck comes out of the forehead. A handle at the chin is used to hold the mask. There is evidence of extensive use. The mask is carved wood with a dark brown patina and…

This carved wood figure features two pairs of male and female figures seated one above the other. The male figures are on the right and both have beards.

This mask was created with both inlaid white teeth and eyes, coiffure knops and a skin covered surface. The Boki people who are neighbors carve in a similar style but do not apply a skin covering.

Carved wood with dark brown vegetable pigment patina with white kaolin in the form of a rounded monkey’s face with minimal features and concave white face, round protruding eyes, elongated nose, diminutive mouth with 4 lines of scarification…

A female reliquary figure sits on top of a box used for storing bones of ancestors, guarding it from undesirable visitors. The box and statue are made of carved wood with a dark red-brown patina. Carved on the outer sides of the box are Ngil society…