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Artwork Details
16-1/8 x 8-1/2 x 9 in.
Accession NumberGift of Mr. and Mrs. Harrison Eiteljorg
CopyrightProvenance
Provenance
(Lamine); sold on July 12, 1972 to Harrison Eiteljorg [1903-1997] Indianapolis, Indiana; given to the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields in 1989.
Gallery Labels
Gallery Labels
Helmet masks of the Mende, Vai, Gola, Bassa and other peoples of the sub-region are the best documented instance of women’s masking in Africa. These masks are used by the Sande association, a powerful organization with social, political and religious significance. Although worn only by women, these masks, as is the case elsewhere in Africa, are carved by men.
Girls who have reached puberty are taken into a special initiation school in the bush for a number of months. During this time, they learn the secrets of the Sande association and acquire the skills and knowledge necessary for womanhood. It is primarily during this period that maskers—women who are already initiated—appear.
Masks which are owned by middle-level Sande association members embody personal protective spirits. In order to attract spirits, masks are made to be ideal presentations of feminine beauty with shiny black surfaces, neck rings and elaborate hairstyles. The masker, who sees through slits in the neck or eyes, wears a garment of blackened plant fibers.
The elaborate hairstyles represented in Sande masks resemble those worn by local women. They include amulets, cowrie shells and animal claws. In many areas in Africa, projections from the top of the head are believed to represent the wisdom and intelligence of an individual, and the pointed elements of some Sande masks may refer to this belief.
Exhibition History
Exhibition History
Exhibition Name
Venue
Dates
Selections from the Harrison Eiteljorg Collection of African Art
University of Indianapolis
March 23, 1980 - April 3, 1980
African Art from the Harrison Eiteljorg Collection
Indianapolis Museum of Art
April 14, 1976 - May 23, 1976
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