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Helmet Mask
possibly early to mid-1900s
The Cleveland Museum of Art
Cleveland, United States
Belonging to the Kono association, one of the Bamana people’s most powerful men’s groups, this mask’s shape seems to evoke the hyena, an animal reputed for its intelligence and its knowledge of the bush. The Kono’s main task is to offer its members protection against witchcraft. It is also responsible for fostering fertility, solving conflicts, disciplining troublemakers, and sentencing criminals. Masquerades are among the Kono’s most public expressions; the mask’s performance is characterized by energy and vigor.
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Details
- Title: Helmet Mask
- Date Created: possibly early to mid-1900s
- Physical Dimensions: Overall: 36 cm (14 3/16 in.)
- Provenance: Robert Jacobsen [1912-1993], Copenhagen, Denmark, Reginauld Groux, Paris, Urs Albrecht, Basel, Switzerland, Ernst Beyeler [1921-2010], Riehen/Basel, Switzerland (as selling agent for Albrecht), Private collection, New York, NY, The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
- Type: Mask
- Rights: CC0
- External Link: https://clevelandart.org/art/2011.196
- Medium: Wood and organic materials
- Inscriptions: The inside of the mask bears the inscription with white ink of the number 107
- Fun Fact: This mask likely depicts a hyena, an animal known for its intellect and knowledge of the bush.
- Department: African Art
- Culture: Africa, West Africa, Mali, Bamana-style blacksmith-carver
- Credit Line: Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund
- Collection: African Art
- Accession Number: 2011.196
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