Vintage Baule Hand Carved Ram Mask with Custom Wood Stand
Culture: Baule (Côte d’Ivoire)
Date: Early to mid-20th century
Materials: Carved wood, natural pigments
Dimensions: 9.5"w x 11"d x 18"h
Condition: In used condition with wear consistent with age. Scuffs and scratches along the body of the mask. Hairline crack along the right side of the muzzle. Refer to photos for details.
Vintage hand carved wooden ram mask, known as Gbekre in the Baule tradition. The ram, associated with vitality, prosperity, and the sacred, was often invoked in ceremonies related to agriculture, initiation, and ancestral veneration.
The mask exemplifies the Baule mastery of woodcarving, with lined detailing along the muzzle, ears, and ridged horns (most likely to represent scarification). Unlike the more dramatic masks of neighboring cultures, Baule animal masks such as this emphasize graceful symmetry and restrained elegance, embodying the Baule philosophical principle of m’bra—beauty in restraint.
Baule ram masks were traditionally danced by male initiates in a bent-forward posture, their movements evoking the ram’s vigor. Such masks bridged the human and spirit worlds, serving as conduits for blessings and protection.
Vintage Baule Hand Carved Ram Mask with Custom Wood Stand
Culture: Baule (Côte d’Ivoire)
Date: Early to mid-20th century
Materials: Carved wood, natural pigments
Dimensions: 9.5"w x 11"d x 18"h
Condition: In used condition with wear consistent with age. Scuffs and scratches along the body of the mask. Hairline crack along the right side of the muzzle. Refer to photos for details.
Vintage hand carved wooden ram mask, known as Gbekre in the Baule tradition. The ram, associated with vitality, prosperity, and the sacred, was often invoked in ceremonies related to agriculture, initiation, and ancestral veneration.
The mask exemplifies the Baule mastery of woodcarving, with lined detailing along the muzzle, ears, and ridged horns (most likely to represent scarification). Unlike the more dramatic masks of neighboring cultures, Baule animal masks such as this emphasize graceful symmetry and restrained elegance, embodying the Baule philosophical principle of m’bra—beauty in restraint.
Baule ram masks were traditionally danced by male initiates in a bent-forward posture, their movements evoking the ram’s vigor. Such masks bridged the human and spirit worlds, serving as conduits for blessings and protection.
