Mask karan-wemba Mossi Burkina Faso Wood, pigments... Lot 42

Mask karan-wemba Mossi Burkina Faso Wood, pigments H.: 92 cm. Antropozoomorphic mask with a special structure: a minimalist white ovoid mask with two triangular eyes divided by a black crenellation, the apex of which is adorned with an antelope's head with fine horns behind which stands a female figure with a large drooping chest. The face, upper chest and belly are scarred. The ovoid face is composed of a mouth with thick lips, engraved almond-shaped eyes, crenellated ears and a hairdo plated towards the back. Geometric herringbone patterns decorate the flat base on which the female statue is perched. Funeral mask worn in honour of the departure of the soul of a Wemba widow to the world of her ancestors. Object made specifically for colonial trade with obvious decorative interest. Consultant : Jean-Pierre LACOSTE