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Elephant mask for Dye ensemble
Elephant mask for Dye ensemble

Elephant mask for Dye ensemble

Label TextWomen and children are asked to leave before this type of mask emerges from the sacred forest. Despite being covered by heavy raffia suits, the masker enacts impressive leaps to convey a vision of unleashed energy drawn from the wilderness. In the early twentieth century, this ensemble had great influence over decision making, more recently, they continue to perform at funerals as a way of proclaiming allegiance to certain families.
Object number81.17.252
Provenance[Galerie Le Corneur Roudillon, Paris, France]; purchased from gallery by Katherine White (1929-1980), Seattle, Washington, 1961; bequeathed to Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, Washington, 1981
Exhibition HistoryCleveland, Ohio, Cleveland Museum of Art, African Tribal Images: The Katherine White Reswick Collection, July 10 - Sept. 1, 1968 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, University of Pennsylvania Museum, Oct. 10 - Dec. 1, 1968). Text by William Fagg. Cat. no. 72. Los Angeles, California, Frederick S. Wight Art Gallery, University of California, African Art in Motion: Icon and Act, Jan. 20 - Mar. 17, 1974 (Washington, D.C., National Gallery of Art, May 5 - Sept. 22, 1974). Text by Robert Farris Thompson. No cat. no., p. 148, reproduced fig. K-5 (as elephant mask). Seattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Selections From The Katherine White Collection, March 12-August, 1987
Credit LineGift of Katherine White and the Boeing Company
Dimensions7 1/2 x 11 7/8 in. (19 x 30.2 cm) L.: 26 3/4 in.
MediumWood with pigment
Ogbodo Enyi (Spirit Elephant)
Object number: 81.17.682
Melanesian
Object number: 81.17.1456
Melanesian
Object number: 81.17.1457
Melanesian
Object number: 81.17.1462
Photo: Susan Cole
Melanesian
Object number: 81.17.1469
Mask (Ntomo society)
Bamana
19th-20th century
Object number: 81.17.16
Mask
Bamana
19th-20th century
Object number: 81.17.19
Lion Mask
Bamana
1850-1980
Object number: 81.17.20
Melanesian
Object number: 81.17.455
Three-faced helmet mask
Ejagham
late 19th century
Object number: 81.17.506