Janus Baule Mask

Description

Masks are a window into the soul of a culture, and provide us with great conversation pieces for the home. African masks are possibly the most admired and well known art form of Africa. They are both idea and form. The artistry of African masks is self evident but, for the people who create them, they have a much deeper meaning than surface beauty. African Masks are believed to embody the spirit and symbolize a message of wisdom, prosperity, security, and power. Stylish elements in a mask’s looks are codified by the tradition and may either identify a specific community or convey specific meanings. Putting on a mask is a transformative experience. It allows us to be someone we’re not for a moment, changing both how we see ourselves and how we behave outwardly. Many of us know this feeling from Halloween in America, but it’s a universal feeling shared across cultures throughout human history.

” This handcrafted beautiful wood mask originates from the Baule tribe who inhabit Ivory Coast & Ghana. Baule people are the largest ethnic group in the Ivory Coast. The Janus or double mask represents the marriage of the sun and the moon or often to celebrate twins, whose birth is always a good sign. Baule art is sophisticated and stylistically diverse, the refined human face masks are usually portraits of particular known individuals belonging to the clan. The Mblo masks such as this one were used in entertainment dances and are one of the oldest of Baule art forms.”