Baoulé Passport Mask, Early 20th Century, Carved from a single piece of soft wood, this oval face mask by a Baoulé carver of Côte d'Ivoire. This is one of a kind, dramatic and beautiful vintage African Mask.
Passports masks are small, made of wood or terracotta. The would have traveler hung on the shoulder to served as a sign of ethnic recognition in "foreign land". They could also be sold easily (low price), in case of bad business, to ensure the daily subsistence of the traveler.
Wonderful addition to any collection, we could imagine displaying them in your library or gallery.
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DIMENSIONS: 8" L x 4" W x 3" D
MATERIALS: Hand Carved Wood *note all marks and wear are inherent qualities of an authentic vintage item and are not damages.
ORIGIN: Côte d'Ivoire, Early 20th Century, exact age unknown
FACTS & HISTORY: The Baule or Baoulé /ˈbaʊˌleɪ/ (Baule: Baule [ba.u.le]; French: baoulé [bawle]) are a Kwa people and one of the largest ethnicities in Côte d'Ivoire. The Baoulé are traditionally farmers who live in the centre of Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), in a french braid shaped region (the Baoule “V”) between the rivers Bandama and N'Zi. This area broadly encompasses the regions around the cities of Bouaké and Yamoussoukro. The Baoulé have come to play a relatively important role in the recent history of Côte d'Ivoire: the State's first President, Félix Houphouët-Boigny, was a Baoulé; additionally, since the Ivorian cocoa boom of the 1960-1970s, the Baoulé have also become one of the most widespread ethnicity throughout the country, especially in the Southern forests (the "Low Coast") where they are amongst the most numerous planters of cocoa, rubber, and coffee and sometimes seem to outnumber the local native ethnic groups.
The Baoulé people are talented in African art. Their sculptures are renowned for their refinement, form diversity and the labor they represent. The sculptures do not only include face masks and human figurines, but also include a great variety of work in gold, bronze, and ivory.
Passports masks are small, made of wood or terracotta. The would have traveler hung on the shoulder to served as a sign of ethnic recognition in "foreign land". They could also be sold easily (low price), in case of bad business, to ensure the daily subsistence of the traveler.
