Mask (Primary Title)

Unknown (Artist)

late 19th–early 20th Century
Grebo Culture
Wood, fiber, pigment
Liberia
Overall (without fiber "beard"): 23 1/2 × 8 1/2 × 6 in. (59.69 × 21.59 × 15.24 cm)
Overall (with fiber "beard"): 35 1/4 × 8 1/2 × 6 in. (89.54 × 21.59 × 15.24 cm)
2015.310
The flat shape and jutting eyes, nose, and mouth of this mask do not adhere to human anatomy, but the assembly of symbols communicate through the character of their forms. Hard-edged and assertive, they telegraph aggression. Four eyes emphasize the warning. Adding to the awesome character of the mask, shafts drilled into the top originally held seventeen feathers, and the face was surrounded by a raffia and textile ensemble, increasing the mask’s larger-than-life presence.
Adolph D. and Wilkins C. Williams Fund
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC

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