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African Masks

Collectors prize African masks for their celebrated and unique aesthetic and their considerable impact on the trajectory of modern art, most notably influencing the work of masters such as Pablo Picasso and Jean-Michel Basquiat. They were most commonly fabricated from wood, less frequently from malleable stone or metals, and often included other objects such as animal teeth, seashells, and horns. The aesthetic of African masks differs greatly between various cultures.

African masks were primarily used in religious and social events, such as weddings, funerals, and initiation rites. Using human faces and animal muzzles as inspiration, craftsmen exaggerated natural proportions and distorted their physiognomies in order to create highly stylized masks. The concept of exaggerating the inherent physical features of their subjects appears evident in Picasso's oeuvre, most notably in his work from the Rose Period.

African masks introduced an aesthetic that Europeans regarded as untamed and savage in comparison to the traditions that existed within Western Art. These connotations, however misinformed, have been explored and subverted throughout modern and contemporary art, most notably in the work of such African American artists as Basquiat and David Hammons.


Quick Facts

  • The Dogon people of Mali had 78 different types of masks, each of which were used for a different type of ceremony
  • One of Picasso's most famous paintings, "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon," is credited as the beginning of his Rose Period and appears highly influenced by African Fang masks
  • The elongated faces of Amadeo Modigliani's paintings were greatly inspired by African masks, most notably those of the Baule people of what is now the Ivory Coast

Recommended Items at Auction

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African Cote d'Ivoire Baule Female Spirit Wood Carving Dan Mask
Feb 22, 12:00 PM EST
African Cote d'Ivoire Baule Female Spirit Wood Carving Dan Mask
by Hess Fine Art
Est: $350- $700
$102 Bids
Congolese Ndeema Helmet Mask
Feb 13, 10:00 AM CST
Congolese Ndeema Helmet Mask
by New Orleans Auction Galleries
Est: $200- $400
$901 Bid
An African carved wood Tribal Senufu Mask 37cm
Feb 14, 9:00 AM GMT
An African carved wood Tribal Senufu Mask 37cm
by Hannam's Auctioneers
Est: £30- £50
£101 Bid
An Ogoni Karikpo Antelope Mask, Nigeria
Feb 09, 10:00 AM EST
An Ogoni Karikpo Antelope Mask, Nigeria
by Topwells
Est: $200- $300
$1000 Bids
An African Carved Wood and Leather Ceremonial Mask
Feb 09, 10:00 AM EST
An African Carved Wood and Leather Ceremonial Mask
by Topwells
Est: $200- $300
$1000 Bids
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BRONZE KALI STATUE & BRONZE AFRICAN WALL MASK
Feb 15, 1:00 PM EST
BRONZE KALI STATUE & BRONZE AFRICAN WALL MASK
by Florida Estate Sales Inc.
Est: $150- $10,000
$300 Bids
African Congo Chokwe Mwana Pwo Young Female Mask
Feb 08, 10:00 AM EST
African Congo Chokwe Mwana Pwo Young Female Mask
by Atlanta Auction Gallery, ltd
Est: $200- $400
$500 Bids
African Ivory Coast Baule Hand-Carved Wood Mask
Feb 08, 10:00 AM EST
African Ivory Coast Baule Hand-Carved Wood Mask
by Atlanta Auction Gallery, ltd
Est: $100- $250
$500 Bids
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West African Carved Wood Mask
Feb 08, 10:00 AM EST
West African Carved Wood Mask
by Roland Auctions NY
Est: $200- $400
$1000 Bids
African Gabon Punu Mukudj Funerary Female Mask
Feb 08, 10:00 AM EST
African Gabon Punu Mukudj Funerary Female Mask
by Atlanta Auction Gallery, ltd
Est: $50- $100
$250 Bids
African Congo/Gabon Teke Kidumu Ceremonial Mask
Feb 08, 10:00 AM EST
African Congo/Gabon Teke Kidumu Ceremonial Mask
by Atlanta Auction Gallery, ltd
Est: $100- $250
$500 Bids
Mid 20th C African Nafana Bedu Plank Mask
Feb 08, 10:00 AM EST
Mid 20th C African Nafana Bedu Plank Mask
by Atlanta Auction Gallery, ltd
Est: $250- $1,000
$1000 Bids
African Chokwe Pwo Hand-Carved Mask
Feb 08, 10:00 AM EST
African Chokwe Pwo Hand-Carved Mask
by Atlanta Auction Gallery, ltd
Est: $50- $150
$250 Bids
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Máscara ceremonial realizada en madera. África.
Feb 12, 5:30 PM CET
Máscara ceremonial realizada en madera. África.
by Arte Subastas Bilbao
Est: €0- €0
€5000 Bids
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Congo, African Wood Mask
Feb 21, 11:00 AM PST
Congo, African Wood Mask
by Wealthier Art & Auction
Est: $40- $50
$50 Bids
African Yoruba Carved Wood Helmet Mask
Mar 13, 11:00 AM EDT
African Yoruba Carved Wood Helmet Mask
by Auctions at Showplace
Est: $100- $200
$250 Bids

Sellers Who Sell African Masks


Hannam's Auctioneers

Hannam's Auctioneers

Kunsthaus Lempertz KG

Kunsthaus Lempertz KG

Kiefer Buch- und Kunstauktionen

Kiefer Buch- und Kunstauktionen

Auktionshaus Plückbaum

Auktionshaus Plückbaum