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Helmet Mask (Sowei)

A work made of wood.

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  • A work made of wood.

Date:

Early to mid-20th century

Artist:

Sherbro or Mende
Sierra Leone
Coastal West Africa

About this artwork

Until Sierra Leone was affected by a brutal civil war lasting from 1991 to 2002, helmet masks like the one displayed here were governed by the Sande association. Common among the related Sherbro and Mende peoples, this all-female group held important religious, political, and educational responsibilities. Masks with elaborate hairstyles, exemplifying local ideals of beauty, were performed by senior Sande officials at funerals, for visits of important guests, and during the initiation of young women into the association. This is one of the rare instances in Africa when women danced with sculpted masks.

Status

On View, Gallery 137

Department

Arts of Africa

Culture

Sherbro

Title

Helmet Mask (Sowei)

Place

Sierra Leone (Object made in)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1900–1950

Medium

Wood

Dimensions

48.3 × 24.8 × 26.7 cm (19 × 9 3/4 × 10 1/2 in.)

Credit Line

The Art Institute of Chicago, Through prior acquisitions of the George F. Harding Collection, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert R. Molner, and the Ada Turnbull Hertle Endowment

Reference Number

1997.361

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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