Description:

West Africa, Mali, Bamana peoples, ca. mid-20th century CE. A hand-made wood, cloth, and feather Sogo bo puppet of a hornbill bird known as Bala kono kun (Head of the River Bird), with a moveable jaw, used for teaching ceremonies. The wood head rests on a rod, covered with a tan cloth with feathers, the cord to control the lower beak hangs to the front, and pieces of iron and brass appliques are riveted to the head via nails. Sogo bo is a major festival that takes place twice a year in Mali where the participants, dressed in garments made from vibrant African fabrics, don zoomorphic and human-shaped puppet masks and process through the streets in celebration - with an additional important purpose of reenacting myths and legends concerning the cosmos and their ancestors as well as new aspects of the contemporary world. Size: 15" L x 26.25" H (38.1 cm x 66.7 cm); 26.5" H (67.3 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: ex-Lynne Rosen collection, New York, New York, USA, 1990s

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#173895

  • Condition: Chip to wood beak and. Some fraying to feathers. Discoloration to cloth. Old inactive insect holes on interior wood rod. Beak articulates but is slightly loose.

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January 19, 2023 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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