Bambara Female Dance Mask, Based

Six upright prongs, two round holes for eyes, and no attempt at small talk.

This female dance mask, on a base, is Bambara, from San Village in the Segou area of Mali, West Africa, early 20th century, in wood. Its comb of upright prongs recalls masks danced by Bambara boys' initiation societies, where a mask could teach as much as it entertained, though forms and meanings vary from place to place. A domed brow drops into a long, straight nose with two round pierced eyes on either side. Flat panels flank the head, and nine small holes pierce the tapered chin. The dark surface has a dull shine. It stands 29 inches high.

A face reduced to what it needs.