Minneapolis Institute of Art

Mask

Wee (Wè) artist

Date

1940s

Medium

Wood, metal, hair, fur, pigments, plant fibers, leopard teeth

Culture

Wee

Department

Arts of Global Africa

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

How wild and ferocious do you have to look? Depends what you’re trying to accomplish. This mask, encrusted with teeth, fur, human hair, and countless protuberances resembling horns or tusks, was used in ceremonies performed to command authority, administer justice, and detect wrongdoers. The little bells added an aural element to the powerful appearance of the mask itself. Wee, Côte d'Ivoire, Africa

The authoritative record is held by Minneapolis Institute of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.