National Museum of African Art Smithsonian Institute

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National Museum of African ArtSmithsonian
Institute

• On aspect of the Internet is the vast collections
  of images from museums. This is a collection of
  slides about African Masks.

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Helmet Mask
Helmet mask (kipoko) Eastern Pende peoples
Democratic Republic of the Congo Early-mid 20th
century Wood, pigment H x W x D 28.2 x 28.1 x
28.6 cm (11 1/8 x 11 1/16 x 11 1/4 in.) Gift of
Harold Rome 63-1-4 The kipoko mask's
performance brings together all members of a
community--those past, those living, those yet to
be born. It recalls the roles and duties of
everyone but particularly relates to the
all-knowing, all-nurturing ideal chief.
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Cap Mask
Yaka peoples Democratic Republic of the Congo
Mid 20th century Wood, raffia, plant fiber,
skin, cloth, paint, pigment H x W x D 31.4 x
57.2 x 57.2 cm (12 3/8 x 22 1/2 x 22 1/2 in.)
Gift of John A. McKesson 70-13-21 This wooden
and fiber mask (mbala) would have been worn or
carried by a boy as a public demonstration of his
mastery of the dances, songs and
skills--including the knowledge of
masquerades--that he acquired during the
initiation cycle. This mask is in the southern
Yaka style, which is rarer in Western collections
than masks from the northern Yaka region.
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Face Mask
Dan peoples Côte d'Ivoire Early 20th century
Wood, plant fiber, iron H x W x D 33.7 x 14.5
x 7.4 cm (13 1/4 x 5 11/16 x 2 15/16 in.) Gift
of Brian and Diane Leyden 99-21-1 For the Dan,
every face mask is linked to a forest or
household spirit. In time a mask may perform
different roles. Generally round-eyed masks are
described as male and are associated with
communal activities such as fire prevention.
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Face Mask
Face mask (yu) Guro peoples Côte d'Ivoire
Early-mid 20th century Wood, pigment, plant
fiber H x W x D 27.1 x 14.4 x 9.8 cm (10 11/16
x 5 11/16 x 3 7/8 in.) Museum purchase 98-16-1
The Zauli mask is not found in every Guro
village. Its role and relationship to other masks
vary, as does its appearance. Zauli masks tend to
have an abstract antelope form and shiny black
surfaces accented with red and white pigment.
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Crest Mask
Crest mask (chi wara kun) Bamana peoples
Kenedougou region, Mali Early-mid 20th century
Wood, metal, plant fiber, hide, cowrie shells H
x W x D 108.2 x 10.3 x 47.4 cm (42 5/8 x 4 1/16
x 18 11/16 in.) Bequest of Eliot Elisofon
73-7-56 Few objects are so generally
identified with African art as the Bamana
"antelope" crest mask. It is actually a complex
object, with tremendous variations in style and
technique.
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Maskette
Mau peoples Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire Late
19th-early 20th century Wood, copper alloy,
encrustation H x W x D 29.1 x 8.0 x 6.0 cm (11
7/16 x 3 1/8 x 2 3/8 in.) Gift of Lawrence
Gussman in memory of Dr. Albert Schweitzer
98-15-11 The Mau relate to the Dan and Wee
peoples of the forest to their south and to the
Bamana of the savanna to the northeast. Like the
Dan and Wee, the Mau make miniature versions of
their large masks to function as personal
protective charms. Like the Komo society masks of
the Bamana, Mau masks are heavily encrusted with
sacrificial materials. Offerings still remain on
the interior of this mask but have been removed
from the front.