124 - HOLAS (Bohumil). — Ivorian Masks.

HOLAS (Bohumil). — Ivorian Masks. [Abidjan], C.S.H. [Center for the Humanities], 1969. Narrow 8vo, 118 pp., paperback, color-illustrated cover under clear protective slip. Numerous black-and-white photographs and drawings, several of which are full-page. First edition of this important monograph on the masks of Côte d’Ivoire, by ethnologist Bohumil Holas. The book is properly cataloged as published in Abidjan by the C.S.H. in 1969, with 118 pages and a size of approximately 20 cm. Holas examines Ivorian masks not only from an artistic perspective but also in terms of their ritual, religious, mythological, and social dimensions. The book specifically addresses the traditions of the Senufo, Baoulé, Gouro, Wobé, Bété, and various other peoples of Côte d’Ivoire. It remains a standard reference cited in contemporary studies on Ivorian masks. The illustrations include numerous remarkable pieces: anthropomorphic and zoomorphic masks, headdress masks, complete costumes, and ceremonial objects, accompanied by ethnographic commentary. Condition: good copy. Cover slightly scuffed at the corners and on the headpieces; clear protective cover. Interior clean overall, with a few minor signs of wear and old pencil annotations at the top. Binding is sturdy.