Figure of masquerader

I bought this small figure (38cm) at a recent auction sale.

My reaction when I read the description in the catalogue, 'A Senufo wood figure of a masquerader, wearing a removable mask.......',
was, not interested, however when I saw the piece I was captured by it.

I think it works best without the mask when it has a very nice sculptural quality. He has a bag slung over his back and is holding an implement in each hand, perhaps a mallet and a chisel?
Now I do know that we are not speaking of a classic work or a work of any age but can any one tell me anything about it.
Is it Senufu?
Is it a tourist work?
Or is it for African use?
The finish with faded spots of white and terracotta (kaolin and ochre) might suggest this.
I would appreciate any comments or information.
Regards
Ian Young

Hi Ian

I don't know what it is (beyond the obvious Senufo attribution from the mask and the spotted paint job), and I've not seen anything like it. A figure representing a masquerader does seem like the sort of thing that might be sold to a visiting tourist for a souvenir, though.

If you hadn't called them woodworking tools, I'd have guessed that the figure is holding a drinking vessel and a reservoir from which to fill it. And, the bag on his back looks like one of the newfangled things on the market that takes the weight off your shoulder and distributes it comfortably. I wonder how long the Senufo had that before some western enterpreneur discovered it!

I think it's very cool. I have no idea whether it's "authentic" or "tourist" (as most things are), but I'd be happy to put it on display in my home if you should tire of it.

Regards,

Steve Price

Hi Steve
Thanks for the speedy reply, I agree that the bag looks just like the trendy type of haversack.
I have no idea what he is holding you could be correct in thinking it is a drinking vessel and a reservoir. If I knew the story of the masquerade it might be obvious.
I am glad that you like it I had the same reaction I could not care if it is "authentic" or "tourist" I just wanted to live with it. As I have only had it for one week now I cannot see me wanting to pass it on yet.
Regards
Ian

I think you're right about it looking best without the mask, Ian. The proportions of the sculpture work beautifully. Actually, in this respect, if it's a "tourist" carving, which would seem to me to be likely, it's one that shares the virtues of "authentic" Senufo sculpture -- which also have to do with this kind of audacious play with contrasting volumes (think, for example, of all those projecting arms and chins). So it's clearly Senufo, exudes Senufo-ness, and is nevertheless "made for export." What a terrific counter-example for the, er, fetishizers of "tribal use!"

Congratulations on such a cool find.

Hi Ian

I've got a small collection of Cameroon brass and bronze figures made during the 1930's, some of which have things that look a lot like whatever your figure is holding in his hands. They seem to be drinking vessels/containers in these. Here are a few images.





Notice the item at the bottom of this happy fellow's stool.



Like your figure, I think these are ethnographically very interesting and (in my view, at least) capture the spirit of Cameroon grassfields art. Here's one more, just to emphasize that point.



Regards,

Steve Price

Dear Mr. Young,

i looked through my Senufo books and didn´t find any comparable example. I personaly think that your piece is a an ancestor figure. I compared photos from the costumes of photos taken during ceremonies (cf.Till Förster, Kunst der senufo,Rietberg). They show similaritys with your figure. The figure is wearing a Waniugo mask, and has a typical dot motive.
I found those dot motives on Kafigelejo figures and on Sejen birds. Anyway, from the photo i cant tell you if it´s a authentic piece, all in all it is interesting and unusal one, and i would guess that the origin lies after Massa ( after 60´s). I also think, but it´s only a guess, that the mask has been done later than the figure.
I hope this informations may help you. For me, the figure looks more impressiv without the mask.

Best regards

David Zemanek

Hi All and thanks for taking the time to reply.
I think you have convinced me, Steve, that it is a reservoir and a drinking horn that he is holding.
If the pack on his back holds his sandwiches would this make him a picnicker rather than a masquerader!

It was the authentic feel that I like, even though it may have been made for 'tourist trade' it was carved by a sculptor steeped in tradition. I always think that I would rather have a good 'new' work than a bad old one on the grounds that in 50 years your new one will be getting old but the bad one will not become good.

I have had a good look at the mask and it looks like it was made at the same time as the figure, same patina, same finish and the head of the figure has a polished patina that may be as a result of rubbing by the mask.
Thanks Steve , John and David for all the information.
Regards
Ian

Dear Mr. Young,

i was reading today Susan Vogels Baule book and found a small brass figure there, that is also wearing a mask and has probably a similar function than yours. Susan Mullin Vogel describes that the Senufo people or also influencing the Baule people.



Best regards

David Zemanek

hey steve

i LOVE those little brass/bronze guys you have !!! tremendous !!!

regards

richard tomlinson

Hi Richard

Thanks for the kind comments. I think they are very cool, and the fact that they are tourist art doesn't weaken their appeal a bit for me. They have the exuberant quality I associate with Cameroon art, and probably tell us more about the culture than most "authentic" pieces do.

I have a few more pieces, too. The whole lot came from a local missionary's estate sale. Nobody else showed the slightest interest in the lot, and it became one of the great bargains in my collecting history.

Regards,

Steve Price

Thank you David for posting the picture from Susan Vogels Baule book, I also have this book but had not made the conection. When I was looking for the picture you posted I found this one on page 274.

It is a heddle pulley which also shows a figure wearing what appears to be a mask.
Regards
Ian

HI IAN

HAVING VISITED IVORY COAST ON BUYING TRIPS MORE THAN 20 TIMES , I HAVE ONLY COME ACROSS THAT STYLE OF STATUE ONCE BEFORE , I KEPT THE STATUE , IT IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT TO YOURS ONLY IN THE THAT IT IS PAINTED COLONIAL STYLE . IT`S ALWAYS A GOOD SIGN WHEN YOU SEE SO FEW OF THEM. I HOWEVER DO NOT KNOW WHAT IT COULD REPRESENT .

KIND REGARDS
OWEN HARGREAVES

african art lover

When browsing internet, I came up with this forum about african art . Keeping all this passion inside me all these years! I am very happy to find peolple with the same interest! I say hello to all african art lovers!

Merci
NGORONGORO

Hi Ngorongoro

Welcome! I'm very glad you found us and I hope you will visit often and contribute to the discussions whenever you can.

One point: I prefer that people use their full names rather than nicknames. I think it makes people more courteous when they know each other by name. If you would be willing to do that, just send me your full name by e-mail and I will change your username from "ngorongoro" to your real name. If you would rather remain anonymous, that's OK, too.

Regards

Steve Price

Dear Mr. Young,

that´s also a really nice example. And i really think that there´s a connection. But this needs further researches. I will check my library for relating pictures. I think the head pully is indeed the better picture, but my intention was to show the things that the figure is holding in his hands. There is similarity to the composition of your figure.

Dear Mr. Hargreaves,

could it be possible to see a picture of your figure on the Internet,
so we could try a comparison and maybe a analysis.

Best regards

David Zemanek

Hello All,
I came across this figure in bronze which appears quite similar to the rest of the items above. I have no information about the figure. I have never seen one like it before, perhaps someone else will be able to comment with better insight.

Hello,
Quite a few months ago, I posted a photo of a small Senufo brass figurine of a "firespitter". I have since come to learn that there are other Senufo brass figures which appear to have been made by the same artist-- I located one in the collection of the Seattle Museum of Art ( donated by Katherine White). I would post the photo here but the Seattle Art Museum requires permission to down-load their photos ( but they don't respond to emails when you request permission!).

I would be interested to know if anyone else has come across Senufo brass figurines like the one I posted in september. I would love to see it, if a photo can be posted.
best,
Scott

Hi Scott

If the Seattle Museum prefers not to have their images reproduced, I agree that we should respect their wishes. But they do not have a legal right to prevent it from being reproduced for purposes of discussion, especially in a noncommercial context like this one.

One way to make it convenient for our readers to see their piece without downloading it to our server is to simply post a link to it. If you would do that, I'd be grateful and I'm sure others would be as well.

Regards,

Steve Price

It's regrettable but the Seattle Art Museum makes it impossible to even post a link to the photo of the brass Senufo figure of a weaver in their online collection of african Art. I was telling Steve this is against the tenets I believe an educational institution should espouse.
For anyone interested the reference number for the figure is 81.17.281 in the SAM online collection.

However, the figure does point out how increasingly we have been able to recognize individual artists and work shops within the massive corpus of African Art. In another section of Show Tell, there is another photo of a brass figurine attributed to the DAN. That artist's name is known and his style is quite recognizable. I will post a few examples of his body of work under that section.