Skip to main content
Advanced Search
Mask with exaggerated features, attached teeth, horns, feathers, fur, and pigments.
Face Mask (gela)
Courtesy of the Harn Museum of Art, Photography by Randy Batista

Face Mask (gela)

Maker Ivorian Artist
Dateundated
Place of originCôte d'Ivoire, Africa
MediumWood, feathers, animal skin, horns, fiber, hair, teeth
Dimensions20 x 15 x 9 in. (50.8 x 38.1 x 22.9 cm)
ClassificationsClothing and accessories
Credit LineGift of Rod McGalliard
Object number1991.27.2
Collections
Visual DescriptionMask with exaggerated features, attached teeth, horns, feathers, fur, and pigments.
A dark wooden mask featuring deep round eyes, a prominent nose, and an open mouth showing teeth. Cowrie shells are attached to the upper edge, and a thick fringe of dark feathers and fibers surrounds the lower face.
Mask (gle)
Dan Artist
undated
Wooden mask of abstracted crow, with open beak, horns, ears, and protruding, round eyes. It is rendered in red, white, and black pigments.
Mask (suaga due)
Mambila Artist
undated
Red and black plastic Football cleats sealed with goatskin; each has 7 goathorns affixed to the toe and two glass perfume bottles protruding from the heel
M’bappélepé, Gris Gris
Lamyne M
2018
Woven rattan helmet-type mask with attached clay covered rattan disk as face. Large pierced nose. Cowrie shell beard. Small slit mouth and eyes. Surrounded by cassowary feathers.
Initiation Mask
Iatmul
20th century
Blackened face mask with red and white pigment, bared teeth, some encrustation on top with nail stuck on right of forehead.
Face Mask (ojo okoroshi)
Igbo Artist
1970
Round bowl-shaped basket containing sculptures of varied dimensions and materials, including manmade and natural objects/substances; pelts attached to rim.
Divination basket (tuphele or tupele)
Luvale Artist
1973
Carved wood figure with various attachments: medicine bundles with feathers and other substances, cowrie strands on neck and head, monkey skull attached to front with cords, shells and seed pods and gourd bound to figure with cord, back covered with burlap; dots of blue and white pigment on figure; figure holds a club in each hand; has conical headdress, strand of red and green beads on back, iron chain with small conical bell attached at end dangling at feet.
Smallpox God
Yoruba Artist
1969
Small elliptical shaped woven face mask surrounded with feathers and attached to large shell with rattan.
Bride Price
Sawos
20th century
A dark wooden mask featuring incised geometric patterns and large, deep circular eye sockets with raised center pegs. It is topped with a thick crown of dark feathers and fibers, with long, thin tendrils hanging down from the sides.
Mask, ishyeenmaal, isehndemale or pwoom itok
Kuba Artist
20th century
Body masquerade woven(?) horizontally of woven rattan. Pig face with snout from which feathers, twine and fabric dangle. Cowrie shell eyes. Headdress of face. Earrings ? object in nose dangle from ears. Tusks extending from one side of mouth. Rows of cassowary feathers extend length of body and fringe hangs at bottom. Highlighted with earth pigment.
Pig dance costume
Iatmul
20th century
Long open ? plaited fiber cap. When worn extends down back and ends in small likeness of lizard or crocodile with mouth. Strands of fiber adorned with cowrie shells and painted with red and white pigment. Small twine loops with evidence of feathers at top.
Bridal Headpiece (ambusap)
Iatmul
20th century
Woven basketry cone shaped from topped with traditional Sepik human head made of clay and painted designs. Large shell eyes, typical nose and protruding tongue. Hair beard. Face encircled in shells, embedded with clay. On basketry torso is the "dual" ancestor's face mocking the larger predominate face. Raffia fringe extends from bottom. Handle on side and back. Wood plug earring. Raffia fringe covers armholes inside. Striped design in red, black and yellow.
Dual ancestral costume
Iatmul
20th century

Collections research is ongoing. Information provided on the Harn’s website about collection objects may be updated, revised, or enhanced at any time.

Harn
Copyright © Harn
null