N'tomo Face Mask
N'tomo Face Mask
Place of OriginBamana, Mali, West Africa
Date20th Century
Dimensions17 1/2 × 8 1/4 × 4 1/4 in. (44.5 × 21 × 10.8 cm)
Mediumwood
ClassificationSculpture
Credit LineGift of Dr. Kenneth I. Freedman on behalf of estate of Steven B. Weiss
Object number
2023.355
Not on View
DescriptionCarved wood mask with flat face, jutting forehead, and elongated nose surmounted by zoomorphic ears along the frame and an ambiguous figure head at the center. The mask has an overall dark patina and incised geometric markings accentuating the cheeks, brow line, and forehead. Consistent with 19th-20th century masks in prominent collections, the N’tomo mask does not have a mouth feature.
Third century
1st century CE
Possibly 1st century BCE
12th-11th century BCE
Third century
Probably late third or fourth century
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