Senufo
Boundiali, northern Côte d'Ivoire
Northern Africa and the Sahel
Face Mask (Kpeliye'e)
INV-2492
Senufo
Boundiali, northern Côte d'Ivoire
Northern Africa and the SahelEarly/mid-20th century
Face Mask (Kpeliye'e)
Senufo Boundiali, northern Côte d'Ivoire Northern Africa and the Sahel →senufoArts of Africaafrican ArtNorthern Africa and the Sahelmasksarts of Africa
Date
Early/mid-20th century
Medium
Wood and pigment
Dimensions
34.3 × 17.2 × 9.6 cm (13 1/2 × 6 3/4 × 3 3/4 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Gift of Anita Glaze
This face mask was made by a specialized carver for the powerful all-male Poro association, which governs life and death in Senufo communities. Danced at initiations and funerals, it represents ideal womanhood even though only a man can wear it. The mask’s glossy, black surface mimics the oiled, smooth, firm skin that is the hallmark of a pica, a beautiful young woman who is ready for marriage. Its femininity also emerges in the choreography, which includes exaggerated hip movements.
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