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Plank Mask (Karan Wemba)

A work made of wood and pigment.

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  • A work made of wood and pigment.

Date:

Late 19th/early 20th century

Artist:

Mossi
Burkina Faso
Northern Africa and the Sahel

About this artwork

We can infer that this mask was likely made before World War II because in the interim, climate change and exhaustion of the soil—a result of intensive farming—have destroyed all of the trees in northern Burkina Faso large enough to create a mask this size. The top of this example features female figures representing twins, indicating that it was danced to mark the death of a woman elder; it guarded and escorted her corpse to the grave.

Such masks were intended to honor ancestral spirits and would also participate in annual memorials during the dry season, collectively commemorating all those who had died during the preceding year.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Arts of Africa

Culture

Mossi

Title

Plank Mask (Karan Wemba)

Place

Burkina Faso (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.

1867–1933

Medium

Wood and pigment

Dimensions

161.3 × 24.1 × 17.8 cm (63 1/2 × 9 1/2 × 7 in.)

Credit Line

Gladys N. Anderson Endowment

Reference Number

2000.62

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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