Baule (Baoule, Bawule) Côte d’Ivoire

Mblo moon mask. The Baule is one of the rare tribes where sculpture is produced for aesthetic appreciation as well as for ritualistic purposes. The foundation of Baule social and political institutions is the matrilineal lineage. It is believed that the mblo or gbagba masks were used in the ancestor’s cult and in commemorative purpose. .This type of masks has been also used in mblo entertainment dances. They are one of the oldest of Baule art forms. Masks representing natural phenomena –  the rainbow, the setting sun, and the moon – may perform at the beginning of the Gbagba mask sequence to “warm the dance space” for the arrival of other masks.

Material:  wood

Size:   13”x11½”x 6½”

Price:   $285+$36 (S&H)                                                    [#U7B2M365]