Winiama Carved Wood Heirloom Shrine Mask

Burkina Fasso 19th Century AD An expressive abstract sculpture composed of a spherical facemask section, pierced at the mouth with an upper section of a human figure extending from the top, the body abstractly thin and the angular arms bent at the elbows and held at waist. Varied nut brown patina and wear and heavy encrustation to surface.Size 23 in H. (58cm) + custom mount. Dr. C Roy suggests....It was used for many years as a shrine, so it must have belonged to a very elderly Winiama man.Powerful example. Ex George L Sturman Collection, Exhibited: Africa Speaks, 1998 at the Las Vegas Art Museum.