African Baoule Mask

Beautiful African Baoule Mask from the Ivory Coast. They are used in ceremonies to honor the dead and the cycle of life. The horns adorn three colors- white (on 2 horns), red, and blue. White coloring represents the spirit world of the ancestors, the procreative power of sperm or the nurturing quality of mother's milk. Red coloring for life blood and blue for innocence. The reverse of the mask is less polished and slightly uneven which is observed in older traditional masks.