Africa, West Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Baule-style carver / late 1800s-early 1900s
Mask (Kple Kple or Kouassi Gbe)
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Mask (Kple Kple or Kouassi Gbe) as mask (Africa, West Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Baule-style carver · late 1800s-early 1900s).
The wearer of this mask would secure it on his face by biting onto a (now-missing) piece of rope attached to the back.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this mask as Wood, resin, and paint.
The museum's collection notes: This kple kple mask belongs to the first of four pairs of masks that entertain as part of a performance sequence in the goli dance. The male in each pair dances first. The masks are worn by young boys in a rapid stamping dance. The masqueraders alternate with each other and watch their partners perform. The head of the male kple kple is painted red, whereas the female, like this example, is colored black.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtMask (Kple Kple or Kouassi Gbe)Original explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.