African Tribal Art: Bobo People, Burkina Faso: Anthropomorphic Bird Mask, Early 20th Century. Carved wood with long beak lined with teeth, worked geometric decoration overall, painted in black and reddish-brown pigments and heightened with white. A small bird perches on the top of the mask, along with a chameleon. Remnants of a rope harness are attached to the incised holes at the back of the mask. A custom-made steel display stand makes this mask appear animated.

35H x 7W x 10D, 35H on stand (inches).

Private Collection, Massachusetts, Private Collection, New York