Toma Mask, Guinea

Maurice Bonnefoy, Paris and New York
George and Rosemary Lois, New York, acquired from the above in 1967

The Royal Academy, London, Africa: the Art of a Continent, October 4, 1995 - January 21, 1996

Tom Phillips, ed., Africa: the Art of a Continent, Munich and New York, 1995, p. 362, cat. no. 5.24

Very good condition overall. Nicks, chips, scratches, wear and abrasions throughout consistent with age and use. Minor losses to patina in places. Fine, encrusted patina. Has stand.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Dramatic and mysterious in appearance, this mask was used during ceremonies of the poro society of the Toma people of present-day Guinea. Like it did for their Guinea Coast neighbors, the poro society played a vital role in Toma society, preserving political order and governing land use, initiation ceremonies, marriage, and trade, among other important social functions within the community. This mask reportedly depicts the character Nyangbai, the wife of the great forest spirit Dandai (or Landai) that embodied the power of Poro. During the clandestine initiation ceremonies for boys, this forest spirit “symbolically [devoured] boys during initiation in order to give them rebirth as men” (Phillips, ed., Africa: The Art of a Continent, New York, 1995, p. 362).

Surmounted by three stylized antlers, the face adopts a semi-oval form, the rounded chin balanced by the flat forehead. The semi-cylindrical plane of the exaggerated forehead, marked by parallel vertical grooves, projects perpendicularly from the plane of the face. The abstractly-shaped nose, in turn, hangs from the forehead at a perpendicular angle as well, flanked by two barely visible round holes that indicate the eyes. This minimalist and geometric design invokes an air of inscrutability, elevating the mask’s spiritual power.