Yelmo Gonde mask
Mende · Sierra Leone
Reference: MYL-6
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- Height
- 35 cm
- Material
- Wood, vegetable fiber and pigments.
Bell-shaped mask that breaks openly with the classic structure of the ringed-necked Sowei masks. These masks represent a woman's face and are also used in Sande…
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Full original description
Bell-shaped mask that breaks openly with the classic structure of the ringed-necked Sowei masks. These masks represent a woman's face and are also used in Sande ceremonies. They belong to the Sandé or Bundu women's society, which is the figuration of the spirit that embodies this society. These masks, usually colored, accompany the courtship of the young women who begin the initiation period and are a parody of the sowei masks, always black.
This mask features a varied polychrome in which red, yellow and orange bands alternate. Dark brown face with large eye orbits and coffee bean-shaped eyes. The entire lower perimeter is pierced to facilitate the holding of the wearer's clothing, as these masks are worn by women.
Further technical information
- Attributed period
- First third century XX
Details transcribed from the original catalogue; they are not a recent physical inspection.
Country on the map
Sierra Leone. The country associated with the catalog is shown, not the current location of the piece.
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Attributions, dates and accounts come from the preserved catalogue. They do not constitute certification of authenticity or provenance. An object’s presence on this website does not mean it is available for sale.
