Open daily. Always free.
Male Crocodile Mask

Male Crocodile Mask

Unknown

Nuna masks manifest spirits (su) that are both revered and feared. The crocodile is a powerful guardian. Colored patterns represent the commands of God (Yi) and convey symbolic messages: Zigzag lines are ancestor paths, and the checkerboard signifies lifelong learning. Black evokes age, health, and wisdom, white represents youthful inexperience, and red signals danger and the spirit world. Before its annual repainting the mask was soaked in water to prevent insect infestations, dissolving the white and red pigments but leaving the water-repellent black pigment. This mask’s history of serial repainting created a noticeable buildup in the black designs.
Artist
Unknown (Burkinabé, possibly Nuna People)
Title
Male Crocodile Mask
Date
early 20th century
Medium
Wood, pigment, and tree tar
Dimensions
64 1/2 x 11 3/4 x 11 1/2 in. overall
Credit
J. David and Laura Seefried Horsfall Endowment Fund purchase
Accession No.
2010.17
Classification
Sculpture
Geography
Burkina Faso

Related

This mask was possibly created by the Nuna people in present-day Burkina Faso, south of Boromo. 1950s, sold by an as-yet unknown individual (Burkina Faso, at the time under French colonial rule called Upper Volta) to Jean Berten (Annecy, France); unknown date, sold by Berten to dealer and collector Pierre Dartevelle (Brussels, Belgium); unknown date, purchased by art dealer Michael Oliver (New York City, NY) [presumably from Dartevelle, but not confirmed]; 2010, sold by Michael Oliver to the Chazen Museum of Art.

  • Chazen Museum of Art. "Artscene." September-December 2011. p. 8, p. 3
  • Rarey, Matthew Francis and Henry John Drewal. "Never at Rest: African Art at the University of Wisconsin." African Arts, vol 53, no. 4 (2020): 68-85. fig. 9

The Chazen Museum of Art welcomes comments or inquiries about works in our collection. Please allow two–three weeks for a response. Chazen staff is not able to provide valuations or authentications and such inquiries cannot be answered.

"*" indicates required fields

Name*
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.