Baga Nimba small mask

This wooden shoulder masks from Northern Baga, used by the Nulu, have a voluminous head with buzzed nose evoking a bird beak surmounting, a long summit ridge, and wide horseshoe ears. A metal clipping, hidden by the grainy matte patina, highlights the eyes and face on which also emerge chevron stripes evoking traditional scarifications. This mask would embody an idealized Baga woman, principles of fertility and abundance of harvests and marriages or deaths.