{"product_id":"african-carved-ebonized-wood-mask-baoule-style-west-africa-mid-20th-century-20-cm-2c91","title":"African Carved Ebonized Wood Mask, Baoulé-Style, West Africa, Mid-20th Century — 20 cm — 2C91","description":"\u003cp\u003eA finely carved miniature African face mask in ebonized hardwood, produced in West Africa — most likely Côte d’Ivoire or Ghana — during the mid-twentieth century, in the tradition of decorative mask carving that flourished across the region from the 1950s onward as skilled craftsmen adapted the formal vocabulary of ceremonial mask-making for the international collector and export market.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe piece is carved in the \u003cstrong\u003eBaoulé-influenced aesthetic\u003c\/strong\u003e of the Côte d’Ivoire tradition: an elongated, narrow face of great formal elegance, dominated by a tall, sharply pointed horn or crest rising from the crown of the head — a form associated in the Baoulé and Guro mask traditions with spiritual authority, elevated status, and the mediation between the human and spirit worlds. The facial features are rendered with quiet precision: long, straight nose descending from the brow in an unbroken line; closed, almond-shaped eyes set beneath a strong brow ridge; a small, composed mouth with slightly parted lips; and a gently pointed chin. The overall impression is one of serene, contained authority — the characteristic expression of the finest West African mask carving, in which the face is not a portrait but an archetype.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe surface of the front face is carved with \u003cstrong\u003egeometric scarification marks\u003c\/strong\u003e — crosshatch patterns on the forehead and chin, linear incisions along the jaw — rendered with a fine tool in the manner of traditional facial scarification, which in many West African cultures carries deep social, spiritual, and identity-marking significance. A horizontal band separates the upper crest from the face proper, carved with fine parallel incisions that add textural contrast to the smooth, polished surfaces above and below.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe wood is \u003cstrong\u003eebonized hardwood\u003c\/strong\u003e — blackened and polished to a deep, lustrous finish on the front face, the color of dark water or a moonless night. The patina is even and well-developed, with the characteristic warm undertones of aged ebonized wood visible in raking light. The reverse is left unfinished in the manner of decorative production pieces, with a wire hanging loop attached for wall display.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition note:\u003c\/strong\u003e The front face is in good condition with the polish and carving detail intact. The reverse shows significant flaking of a grey coating applied to the back surface — entirely invisible when the piece is displayed and reflected honestly in the price.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eKey Details\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Decorative carved wood mask \/ African export art\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStyle:\u003c\/strong\u003e West African — Baoulé-influenced aesthetic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e West Africa (Côte d’Ivoire \/ Ghana, most likely)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAge:\u003c\/strong\u003e Mid-20th century — circa 1960s–1980s\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ebonized hardwood\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTechnique:\u003c\/strong\u003e Hand-carved; ebonized and polished\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 20 × 4 × 2 cm \/ 7.9 × 1.6 × 0.8 in\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDisplay:\u003c\/strong\u003e Wire hanging loop on reverse — ready to hang\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDesign:\u003c\/strong\u003e Elongated face with tall pointed horn\/crest; almond eyes; geometric scarification marks on forehead and chin\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Good — front face polish and carving intact; reverse shows coating flaking (disclosed, not visible when displayed)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSKU:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2C91\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"One Royal Art","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54098569429338,"sku":"2C91","price":10000.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0636\/9656\/8577\/files\/2C91_1.jpg?v=1777844737","url":"https:\/\/www.oneroyalart.com\/fr-europe\/products\/african-carved-ebonized-wood-mask-baoule-style-west-africa-mid-20th-century-20-cm-2c91","provider":"One Royal Art","version":"1.0","type":"link"}