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THBIvory Coast Baule Wood Portrait Mask - Early 20th C.
Lot 45a
About Seller
Artemis Fine Arts
686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States
Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more
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Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$3,000 - $6,000
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About Auction
Live
By Artemis Fine Arts
Aug 22, 2025
Set Reminder
2025-08-22 10:00:00
2025-08-22 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Indigenous Art - Ralph T. Coe Center, Santa Fe, NM
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/indigenous-art---ralph-t-coe-center-santa-fe-nm-20324
Featuring works of art from the Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a non-profit focused on promoting Indigenous Arts globally. All proceeds from the sale of these items will support future grants to Rehoming Program participants. Artemis Fine Arts info@artemisfinearts.com
Featuring works of art from the Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a non-profit focused on promoting Indigenous Arts globally. All proceeds from the sale of these items will support future grants to Rehoming Program participants. Artemis Fine Arts info@artemisfinearts.com
View Full Catalog (452)
- Lot Description
West Africa, Ivory Coast, Yaure Tribe, ca. last quarter 19th to first quarter 20th century. A refined Baule portrait mask (kple kple variant or mblo type) carved with a serene, introspective face—highly arched brows, downcast eyes, narrow nose, and delicate lips convey a sense of composure and idealized beauty. The mask is crowned by a dramatic crest of twin hornbill birds (bala), a symbol of fertility, communication with the spiritual world, and ancestral presence. The fine geometric scarification patterns engraved into the forehead and temples reflect the Baule aesthetic ideals of order, symmetry, and grace. A small metal tack may be inserted at the base for stabilization or attachment during performance. Size: 6.25" W x 16.75" H (15.9 cm x 42.5 cm)
These masks were traditionally worn by male dancers in masquerade ceremonies, including entertainment festivals (mblo), or as spiritual intermediaries in goli rituals. The double bird motif underscores the duality and harmony valued in Baule cosmology.
Exhibited at Oberlin College, Allen Memorial Art Museum, October 3 - December 10, 2002, catalogue p. 7, illust. #1 (right)
Provenance: Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA acquired from Taylor (Tad) Dale Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
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.
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#196227Minor imperfections on the beaks of each bird and minute flea-bite on the left edge of the mask.. Old screw hook on reverse. Some of the finest patina I have seen on any African mask.Condition
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