Description:

Baule people, Ivory Coast, West Africa, Early 20th century. A lively and old example showing an overall blackened, slightly encrusted surface with highlights of organic red and white pigments remaining on the features. This mask was the embodiment of the male 'god of the bush', an imaginary and fearsome zoomorph not to be witnessed by women and children. This example has a petite and thin quality to it, and its smaller size indicates it was possibly worn by a younger adult male. Picasso-like in its sculptural form, this mask type originally functioned as part of a man's warring costume, but in more contemporary times it has been associated with protecting the village. 17"L x 12"W x 8"D.

Provenance: Ex-Weiss collection, Basel, Switzerland then to Bernd Ratz, Maulbronn, Germany, ca. 1960 to present.

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

  • Condition: Very fine condition with areas of old 'village repair' along checks and cracks in the wood using nails; slight edge loss, overall.

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Shipping

Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense

June 13, 2014 9:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000