Lot A42 - Baule Mblo mask

Baule Mblo portrait mask

Côte d’Ivoire

Wood. Height: 41 cm.

A finely carved anthropomorphic face with elongated, elegant proportions, narrow almond-shaped eyes beneath arched brows, and a long, straight nose extending to a small, pursed mouth. The facial plane is smooth and restrained, framed by a serrated beard-like contour along the jawline.

The coiffure rises dramatically in three high crested lobes, each densely incised with fine diagonal striations, characteristic of Baule hairstyling in Mblo portrait masks. The surface shows a deep, lustrous brown patina with areas of handling wear.

The reverse is hollowed, with attachment holes along the rim.

Condition: good overall, with minor age cracks and surface wear consistent with use.