unknown Baulé
Baulé Primary

Goli Kpwan (Mother) Mask

19th century - 20th century

9 13/16 in. x 6 1/8 in. x 5 1/8 in. (25 cm x 15.5 cm x 13 cm)

This object has the following keywords:

• African - Refers to the cultures of the continent of Africa, which is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea.
• Baule - The style and culture of the Akan-speaking peoples traditionally living in the savanna region between the Bandama and N’zi rivers in central Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa. Since 1940, there has been significant migration of the Baule to the southern, forested part of the country in search of land more productive for coffee and cocoa planting. Baule art is considered a separate and distinct style, although specific categories of Baule art are historically and stylistically close to the art forms of their neighbors. The style and culture of the Akan-speaking peoples traditionally living in the savanna region between the Bandama and N’zi rivers in central Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa. Since 1940, there has been significant migration of the Baule to the southern, forested part of the country in search of land more productive for coffee and cocoa planting. Baule art is considered a separate and distinct style, although specific categories of Baule art are historically and stylistically close to the art forms of their neighbors.
• carvings - Refers to works executed by cutting a figure or design out of a solid material such as stone or wood. It typically refers to works that are relatively small in size, are part of a larger work, or are not considered art. For large and medium-sized three-dimensional works of art, use the broader term "sculpture" or another appropriate term.
• Ivorian - Style and culture of the Ivory Coast.
• masks - Refers to coverings for all or part of the face, usually with openings for the eyes and sometimes the mouth. They are worn to hide or alter the identity of the wearer or for protection. Masks as cultural objects have been used throughout the world in all periods since the Stone Age. Masks are extremely varied in appearance, function, and fundamental meaning. They may be associated with ceremonies that have religious and social significance or are concerned with funerary customs, fertility rites, or curing sickness. They may be used on festive occasions or to portray characters in a dramatic performance and in re-enactments of mythological events. They may be used for warfare and as protective devices in certain sports. They are also employed as architectural ornaments.
• West African - Styles and cultures from the region comprising the westernmost area of the African continent, defined by the United Nations as including the modern nations of Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
• wood - The principal tissue of trees and other plants that provides both strength and a means of conducting nutrients. Wood is one of the most versatile materials known.

This object is a member of the following portfolios: