Mémoire d’Afrique — Ref. 293
Baga bird mask — Baga, Guinea — African tribal art — Ref. 293
Description
Piece of Baga origin from Lower Guinea, belonging to the corpus of large Banda/Kumbaruba masks: elongated human face, lozenge-shaped mouth, long, rounded and crenellated lower appendage, vast feather headdress fixed on a textile band decorated with cowries. Used during community festivals, openings of the agricultural season, funerals and receptions of guests, to protect the village and channel the forces of the bush. The toothed ventral blade refers to the crocodile or fish of the mangroves, aquatic and liminal power; the cowries evoke prosperity and fertility, and the metal plates around the eyes evoke clairvoyance and power. Sculpture in light wood with a matte patina, feather headdress, beard in plant fibres, decoration of metal plates; wear from use, small losses to the feathers, old splits and coherent oxidation, stable overall.
Technical details
- Type of piece
- Masque
- Category
- Masks
- Ethnic group
- Baga
- Country
- Guinée
- Materials
- wood, feathers, iron, fabric, cowries, raffia
- Dimensions
- H 24 × W 26 × D 117 cm
- Weight
- 3,9 kg
- Estimated dating
- second half 20th c.
- Restoration / losses
- Beak restored
- Laboratory test
- Not tested
- Reference
- 293