Mask
| Culture | Grebo |
|---|---|
| Title | Mask |
| Date | Late 19th–mid 20th century |
| Medium | Wood, human hair, teeth, and and pigment |
| Dimensions | Overall: 22 3/4 x 6 3/8 in. (57.8 x 16.2 cm) Overall1 (horns): 7 3/4 x 5 1/4 in. (19.7 x 13.3 cm) |
| Credit Line | Gift of Svend E. Holsoe Collection, Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University |
| Accession Number | 99.6 |
| This artwork is currently off display. You may be able to see this artwork by filling out an art viewing room request. | |
A mask in the shape of a human head, with a headdress that includes two tall horns, pointing up from the top of the head, curving outward, and joining again at the top to make a loose diamond shape. The face has small, slit eyes and teeth embedded in the mouth.
Little is known about the masking traditions of the Grebo, who live in the coastal area of eastern Liberia, but powerful masks such as this are rare. While the size of the forehead is greatly exaggerated, the rest of the face looks far more human than many other African masks, a realism heightened through the incorporation of teeth in the mouth and human hair for the beard. The horns on the top of the head are said to refer to those of the buffalo, a powerful animal and an apt metaphor for the strength and vigor expected of an adult male.
Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.
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Cite this page
"Mask | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=99.6