Mossi Wan-Zega Mask, Based

A tiny face watches from the top of the post, in case the big one misses anything.

This wan-zega mask is Mossi, from Burkina Faso in West Africa, 20th century, made of wood and shown on a base. Mossi masks are typically tied to clan identity and to spirits honored at funerals and seasonal rites, though details vary by region. Here slotted eye openings sit in a dark band on a long oval face, pale and crusted below, with a row of triangles along the center ridge. A slim post rises from the dark dome. It stands 44.5 inches high.

Two faces, one opinion.