A zoomorphic Senufo dancing mask

A zoomorphic Senufo dancing mask, in the style that reaches from the Diawala region towards Dikodougou, made from one piece of wood, coloured with ochre, black and white kaolin pigments, composed with a number of threatening elements – like teeth, horns, claws, large jaws, the mask unites animal features and is designed as a hybrid incorporating human and animal elements of everything scary in the world – to produce an impression of vital force to scare and punish, a bird on top devours a frog or another amphibian. Provenance Mohamed Belo Garba.

The impression of such a mask is reinforced with movements of the ritual dancer, rhythms, chanting, jumps and theatrical performances with meaningful poses and gestures. In the literature, this type of mask is called “Fire Spitting Mask”. Similar masks can be found in the Barbier-Mueller Museum in Geneva.

800 - 1000,- Euro

Height: 1 m

Weight: 6,8 kg (incl. stand)