301 - ZOOMORPHIC HELMET MASK - Burkina Faso - Bobo

ZOOMORPHIC HELMET MASK - Burkina Faso - Bobo First half of the 20th century. Wood, red and black pigments, kaolin. Dimensions: 60 cm. The Bobo and the Bwa, who are neighbors, share a common cultural background. Animals, such as antelopes, birds (the hornbill), and aquatic fauna, are often depicted in the collection of masks. Geometric ornamentation and the colors red, black, and white are also characteristic features of these masks. This mask may depict a crocodile, adorned along its entire length with geometric motifs (white and red triangles). Stripes accented with white run the entire length of the upper part of the mask. Research and Documentation: Coryse Mwape, Art Historian specializing in ancient African art. Internal Ref.: 278