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West Africa, Ivory Coast, Baule, ca. early to mid-20th century CE. A hand-carved wooden Goli mask depicting an abstract buffalo head of a discoid shape with a highly stylized visage, hand-painted in hues of black, white, and red. The vizard is comprised of openwork, teardrop-form eyes with protruding, annular pupils and a rectangular mouth displaying 2 rows of teeth and a tongue. A pair of curved horns surmount the head, which is supported by a thick neck with circular drill holes at the peripheries for strapping to the face of its wearer. Size: 10.5" W x 16.3" H (26.7 cm x 41.4 cm)

Known as kplekple, this mask is part of a family of masks called Goli. Kplekple are considered the children of the family, with the black masks representing daughters named kplekple bla and the red representing sons named kplekple yaswa. Adopted in the late 19th and early 20th century from the neighboring Wan peoples, the Goli are considered intercessors with supernatural forces for good or sometimes, if not appeased, evil. They traditionally appear at times of great strife, such as during epidemics or at funerals. The kplekple mask is worn by a young man dressed in goatskin who performs a spirited dance to music at dawn as well as during the early afternoon and evening.

Provenance: ex-private Bishop Family Trust collection, the Trust of the late Bill Bishop, a noted antiquarian with shops in Scottsdale, Arizona and Allenspark, Colorado, USA, acquired before 2010

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#173274

Minor perforations wear head attaches to neck. Expected surface wear with nicks and abrasions, commensurate with age. Small, stable hairline fissure on bottom periphery of neck. Otherwise, intact and excellent with nice preservation of pigments and light patina. Modern suspension string tied to top.