Baga Nimba or Fertility Mother Shoulder Mask

Four legs, one long neck, and a profile that cuts the air like a prow.

This Nimba, or fertility mother shoulder mask, is Baga, from Guinea in West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is carved wood. Scholars generally describe Nimba as an image of motherhood and abundance, worn on a dancer's shoulders, with the performer looking out through the chest. Rows of small round studs outline the face, ear and braided crest. Incised lines pattern the chest, and the dark surface shows lighter patches throughout. Forty-three inches high.

Rooms tend to adjust to her.