Africa, West Africa, Côte d'Ivoire or Liberia, Wè-style carver / early 1900s
Face Mask (Tehe gla)
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Face Mask (Tehe gla) as mask (Africa, West Africa, Côte d'Ivoire or Liberia, Wè-style carver · early 1900s).
The masquerader who wore this mask also had a body costume of layers of raffia and matching anklets; cloth covered their head.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this mask as Wood, boar tusks, pelt, cloth, human hair, probably aluminum, reeds, iron alloy, copper alloy, plant fiber, and paint.
The museum's collection notes: Tubular eyes and the fringe of carved leopard canine teeth identify this mask as male. Such masks appeared only during very important moments. The dancer wore a leopard skin over his head and shoulders, held an elephant's tusk in his hand, and had his face painted white. The masks function as peacemakers; they led soldiers into battle, and administered justice.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtFace Mask (Tehe gla)Original explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.