An Mossi "Mask de Soleil"

The “Mask de Soleil” from the Mossi of Burkina Faso is a ceremonial object that combines symbolic, cosmological, and social functions within Mossi culture. Mossi masks, in general, are integral to ritual events, particularly those associated with ancestor veneration, initiation rites, funerals, and royal ceremonies, reflecting both spiritual and political hierarchies. The “Mask de Soleil” or “Sun Mask” is distinguished by its radiating form, often featuring a circular or star-like outline that evokes the sun’s rays, a symbol of vitality, protection, and continuity of life. The central face may be stylized or abstracted, sometimes with incised geometric patterns, and the outer radiating elements can be carved wood, metal, or fiber, depending on the ritual context and the artisan’s repertoire.

Functionally, the mask is performed in dances or processions, where it mediates between the living community and spiritual forces, including ancestors and protective deities. Its bright, radiant form is often intended to bring blessings, ensure fertility, or guard against malevolent spirits. In some interpretations, the sun motif also reflects the king’s or chief’s authority, linking cosmic order to political leadership, as the Mossi historically have a centralized chieftaincy system where ritual symbols reinforce hierarchical legitimacy.

Stylistically, Mossi masks balance abstraction and figurative elements, and the “Mask de Soleil” exemplifies this through its geometric exaggeration of the sun motif while maintaining anthropomorphic reference. Comparative studies note similarities with other Sahelian sun-inspired masks, but the Mossi version retains a distinct local idiom through specific patterns, proportions, and performance conventions.

Original "Masks de Soleil" are rare. Like almost no other Mossi mask, this type was copied extremely frequently, so much so that even replacement masks were adapted to market demands and sold to tourists after only one use. This explains the scarcity of masks that were still repaired in the village using traditional methods for multiple uses. We have collected only one such example in the last 25 years, about 20 years ago; all other Mossi masks appeared on the market far more frequently. The Gallery Art-Africain one of these authentic masks some time ago offered, but it had already been bound together with metal brackets and not in the traditional village style of restoration, who carried out repairs using strips of animal skin to give the broken parts a certain degree of flexibility, as such a large mask is particularly exposed to the wind during processions. Metal clamps are often used in traditional repairs on smaller masks and statues, but not on such large objects. Here, leather straps have the advantage of allowing the mask to be used for many years without breaking again.

or further reading:

• Delafosse, Maurice. Haut-Sénégal-Niger: Les populations, les langues, les races. Paris, 1912.

  LaGamma, Alisa. African Art in the Barnes Foundation: Ritual and Authority. Philadelphia, 1995.

Diameter: 101 cm without stand
Weight: 8,4 kg without stand