Wood helmet mask with female facial features, crested hairdo surmounted by bird on top of crenellated drum some wear of wood, and blackened surface worn off to reveal raw wood, or white pigment rubbed into some areas.

Mask (gonde)

Maker Mende Artist

Date20th century

Place of originSierra Leone, Africa

MediumWood, pigment

ClassificationsClothing and accessories

Credit LineGift of Rodney D. McGalliard in Honor of Roy Sieber

Object number2009.52

Collections

AFRICAN

Visual DescriptionWood helmet mask with female facial features, crested hairdo surmounted by bird on top of crenellated drum some wear of wood, and blackened surface worn off to reveal raw wood, or white pigment rubbed into some areas.

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Wooden helmet mask with naturalist human features, human hair applied to scalp which is also embedded with plastic or vinyl strips in red and green- arc, spiral double bars designs; black pigment applied to face, eroded in areas. Teeth are made of pointed strips of wood, some missing. Cracks and fragile area on right of neck; traces of applied substances on face, probably beeswax fashioned into strips to resemble scarification patterns.

Mask (n'dimu or lipiko)

Makonde Artist

mid-late 20th century

Double-tiered disk-shaped platforms that are surmounted by 6 (possibly young female) figures wearing pillbox style headgear, with bent knees and elbows, and hands with curled fingers; 3 of the identical figures are on either side of a large head with a helmet adorned with 4 spheres, and flanked below by mask-like faces with swirling hairdos. The head in the center, dominates the work and is inset between two vertical flanges. The bottom disk is perforated on the rim by 1/4 in holes all around. T…

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Igbo Artist

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Standing male figure with large head, beaded, crested hairdo; torso is a cylinder with a carved center for medicines; slightly flexed knees; pigment and patina on head and legs, torso is raw wood suggesting it was covered or made to be covered.

Teke janus power figure (nkisi)

Teke Artist

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Yoruba Artist

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Boki Artist

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Mende Artist

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With neck rolls, elaborately plaited coiffure, fiber attachment, and blackened surface.

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Mende Artist

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