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Overview > Fine Arts Wing > African Art

Seated figure Bamileke people, Cameroon ca. late 19th century-early 20th century	Throne Bamileke people, Cameroon Late 19th – early 20th century	Kuosi society elephant mask Bamileke people, Cameroon, Southern Grasslands Late 19th – early 20th century	Leopard headpiece Bamileke people, Cameroon, Southern Grasslands Late 19th – early 20th century	Funerary head Anyi people, Ghana ca. late 19th century-early 20th century
*Fertility doll (akua’ba)* Asante people, Ghana Late 19th - early 20th century	Fertility doll (akuaba) Asante people, Ghana Early 20th century	*Soul-washer’s disk (akrafokunmu)* Asante people, Ghana Early 20th century	Adinkra cloth stamp Asante people, Ghana Early 20th century	Adinkra cloth stamp Asante people, Ghana Early 20th century
Adinkra cloth stamp Asante people, Ghana Early 20th century	Adinkra cloth stamp Asante people, Ghana Early 20th century	Cloth (kente) Asante people, Ghana Late 19th - early 20th century	Funerary head Koma people, Ghana ca. 13th-19th century	Funerary head Koma people, Ghana ca. 13th-19th century
*Male D’mba* figure** Baga people, Guinea ca. 1900	*Shrine sculpture representing the bird Anok (A-Tshol)* Baga people, Guinea ca. late 19th century-early 20th century	Mask Kono or Guerze people, Guinea Early 20th century	Ceremonial spoon Bidjogo people, Bissago Islands, Guinea Bissau Late 19th – early 20th century	N’tomo society mask Bamana people, Mali Late 19th – early 20th century
Tji wara headdress (female oryx antelope type) Bamana people, Mali Early 20th century	Kore male society initiation mask Bamana or Marka people, Mali Late 19th – early 20th century	*Mask (n’tomo)* Bamana people, Mali ca. late 19th century-early 20th century	*Headdress (tji wara)* Bamana people, Mali Early 20th century	Ideal female figure (gwan) Bamana people, Mali Late 19th – early 20th century
Merekun female marionette with janus head Bamana people, Mali Late 19th - early 20th century	*Headdress (sogoni koun)* Bamana people, Mali Late 19th – early 20th century	N’tomo society mask Bamana people, Mali Late 19th – early 20th century	Male farming (agriculture) mask Marka people, Mali Early 20th century	Ceremonial Mask Marka people, Mali Early 20th century
Marionette head Bozo people, Mopti area, Mali Late 19th – early 20th century	Head sculpture Bura people, Niger 3rd-11th century	Funerary vessel Bura people, Niger 3rd-11th century	Hogon equestrian statue Dogon people, Mali 19th century or earlier	Ritual granary trough Dogon people, Mali Late 19th – early 20th century
Male and female ancestor figures Dogon people, Mali ca. late 19th century-early 20th century	Female figure Dogon people, Mali Late 19th – early 20th century	*Female figure on a togu-na* house post** Dogon people, Mali Late 19th – early 20th century	Mask for protection against witchcraft Bini people, Nigeria Early 20th century	Plaque pendant Edo people, Benin, Nigeria 17th-18th century
Seated mother-goddess cult figure Jenne-Jeno area, Mali 1000-1300 CE	Mask Kom people, Cameroon ca. late 19th century-early 20th century	Ceremonial head crest Ejgaham / Ekoi people, Nigeria Late 19th – early 20th century	Ekon society marionette Ibibio people, Nigeria Late 19th – early 20th century	*Ancestor figure (ekpu)* Ibibio people, Oron subgroup, Nigeria 18th-19th century
Mask Idoma people, Nigeria ca. late 19th century-early 20th century	*Dance mask (okumkpa)* Igbo people, Afikpo subgroup, Nigeria Late 19th – early 20th century	Female figure (community’s guardian spirit) Igbo people, Nigeria ca. late 19th century-early 20th century	Protective shrine-figure Igbo people, Nigeria Late 19th – early 20th century	*Helmet mask (mgbodike* or agbada)** Igbo people, Nigeria Late 19th – early 20th century
Helmet mask in the shape of a bushcow Kantana (Mama) people, Nigeria Early 20th century	Protection and divination effigy Mumuye people, Nigeria ca. late 19th century-early 20th century	Protection and divination effigy Mumuye people, Nigeria Late 19th – early 20th century	Vabo cult buffalo mask Mumuye people, Nigeria Early 20th century	Anthropomorphic figure Nok people, Nigeria 6th century BCE - 3rd century CE
Genuflecting Figure Nok people, Nigeria Late 6th-early 7th century	Head Nok people, Nigeria 5th century BCE - 3rd century CE	*Ceremonial rain-making shoulder mask (sukwava)* Wurkun people, Benue River area, Nigeria Late 19th – early 20th century	Idealized head of a high-ranking figure Yoruba people, Ife-Ife kingdom, Nigeria 12th-15th century	Artist: Bambgose of Osi Ilorin (died: ca. 1920)
*Male ancestor figure (singiti)* Hemba people, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th – early 20th century	*Mask (gelede)* Yoruba people, Nigeria Late 19th – early 20th century	Assemblage honoring the god Eshu Yoruba people, Nigeria Late 19th - early 20th century	Eshu: “herald of the gods” Yoruba people, Nigeria Late 19th – early 20th century	Maternity figure (dedicated to the god Shango) Yoruba people, Nigeria Late 19th - early 20th century
Crown Yoruba people, Nigeria Late 19th – early 20th century	Gynomorphic ritual vessel Yoruba people, Nigeria Late 19th – early 20th century	Twin figure (Ibeji) Yoruba people, Nigeria Early 20th century	*Twin Figure (ibeji)* Yoruba people, Nigeria Early 20th century	*Twin Figure (ibeji)* Yoruba people, Nigeria Early 20th century
*Twin Figure (ibeji)* Yoruba people, Nigeria Early 20th century	Twin Figures (Ibeji) Yoruba people, Nigeria Early 20th century	Twin Figures (Ibeji) Yoruba people, Nigeria Early 20th century	Twin Figures (Ibeji) Yoruba people, Nigeria Early 20th century	Twin Figures (Ibeji) Yoruba people, Nigeria Early 20th century
Twin figures (Ibeji) Yoruba people, Nigeria Early 20th century	Sheath Yoruba people, Nigeria Early 20th century	*Beaded coronet (orikogbofo)* Yoruba people, Nigeria Late 19th – early 20th century	*Beaded coronet (orikogbofo)* Yoruba people, Nigeria Late 19th – early 20th century	*Beaded coronet (orikogbofo)* Yoruba people, Nigeria Late 19th – early 20th century
*Beaded coronet (orikogbofo)* Yoruba people, Nigeria Late 19th - early 20th century	*Beaded coronet (orikogbofo)* Yoruba people, Nigeria Late 19th – early 20th century	*Beaded coronet (orikogbofo)* Yoruba people, Nigeria Late 19th – early 20th century	Sheath Yoruba people, Nigeria Early 20th century	*Dance panel (yata)* Yoruba people, Nigeria Early 20th century
*Divination bowl (agere ifa)* Yoruba people, Nigeria Early 20th century	Diviner’s bag Yoruba people, Nigeria Early 20th century	*King’s shoes (bata ileke)* Yoruba people, Nigeria Early 20th century	*Ogboni cult figures (edan)* Yoruba people, Nigeria Early 20th century	Spirit mask (egungun) Yoruba people, Nigeria Early 20th century
*Altarpiece (osamasinmi)* Yoruba people, Owo subgroup, Nigeria ca. 1815	Fetish Figure Fon people, The Republic of Benin Early 20th century	Maternity Figure Baule people, Cote d'Ivoire Early 20th century	Comb Baule people, Cote d'Ivoire Early 20th century	*Male spirit-spouse (blolo-bian)* Baule people, Cote d'Ivoire 19th century
*Ritual mallet (laoure)* Baule people, Cote d'Ivoire ca. late 19th century-early 20th century	Mbra cult monkey figure (gbekre) Baule people, Cote d'Ivoire ca. late 19th century-early 20th century	*Senior male mask (goli glen) in the shape of a bushcow or buffalo* Baule people, Cote d'Ivoire Late 19th – early 20th century	*Female figure (sika blawa)* Baule people, Cote d'Ivoire Early 20th century	House or granary window shutter with carving of an ancestor's head Baule people, Cote d'Ivoire Late 19th – early 20th century
*Female spirit-spouse (blolo bla)* Baule people, Cote d'Ivoire Late 19th – early 20th century	Granary door Baule people, Cote d'Ivoire Late 19th – early 20th century	Mouse divination pot Baule people, Cote d'Ivoire ca. late 19th century-early 20th century	Female figure Mende people, Sierra Leone Late 19th – early 20th century	Woman’s helmet mask (sowei) Mende people, Sierra Leone ca. late 19th century-early 20th century
Bundu female society helmet mask (sowei) Mende people, Sierra Leone ca. late 19th century-early 20th century	*Equestrian statue (nomoli)* Sherbo people (?), Sierra Leone Undated	*Ancestor figure (bavong tchitchiri)* Moba people, Togo Late 19th – early 20th century	Chieftain’s ceremonial chair Chokwe people, Angola Undated	Woman’s protective amulet Bahuana people, Democratic Republic of the Congo 19th century
Man’s protective amulet Bahuana people, Democratic Republic of the Congo 19th century	Ancestor figure Basikasingo people, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th – early 20th century	Initiation mask Bembe people, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th – early 20th century	*Elderly nobleman’s mask (cihongo)* Chokwe people, Democratic Republic of the Congo ca. late 19th century-early 20th century	Funerary monkey mask Hemba people, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th – early 20th century
*Ancestral Figure (singiti)* Hemba people, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th – early 20th century	*Ideal female figure (lu me)* Dan people, Cote d'Ivoire Late 19th - early 20th century	Ritual and War Mask Guerre people, Cote d'Ivoire Early 20th century	Mask Dan/Guere people, Liberia Early 20th century	*Tomb figure in prayer position (ntadi)* Kongo people, Democratic Republic of the Congo 16th-19th century
*Nail fetish (muserongo)* Kongo people, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th century	Helmet mask (mwashamboy) Kuba Bushoong people, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th - early 20th century	*Dance mask (bwoom): “the evil hydrocephalic prince”* Kuba Bushoong people, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th – early 20th century	Helmet mask Kuba people, Democratic Republic of the Congo ca. late 19th century-early 20th century	Pipe-head Kuba people, Democratic Republic of the Congo ca. late 19th century-early 20th century
Ritual palm wine mug Kuba people, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th - early 20th century	Camwood powder container Kuba people, Democratic Republic of the Congo Early 20th century	Gun powder flask Kuba people, Democratic Republic of the Congo ca. late 19th century-early 20th century	Female ancestor figure Kuyu people, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th – early 20th century	*Mask (luk’wakongo)* Lega people, Democratic Republic of the Congo ca. late 19th century-early 20th century
*Ceremonial Bwami* society figure** Lega people, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th – early 20th century	Hand mask Lega people, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th – early 20th century	Spoon Lega people, Democratic Republic of the Congo ca. late 19th century-early 20th century	Spoon Lega people, Democratic Republic of the Congo ca. late 19th century-early 20th century	*Hat (bwami)* Lega people, Democratic Republic of the Congo Early 20th century
Fetish figure Luba people, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th – early 20th century	*Ceremonial Staff (kibango)* Luba people, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th – early 20th century	*Policing society mask (kifwebe)* Luba-Hemba people, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th – early 20th century	*Nobleman’s caryatid stool (kihona)* Luba-Hemba people, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th – early 20th century	*Protective female fertility figure (lupinga lua luimpe)* Luluwa people, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th - early 20th century
Mother and child figure Lwena people, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola and Zambia Late 19th – early 20th century	Knife Mangbetu people, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th – early 20th century	Honey container Mangbetu people, Democratic Republic of the Congo	Infant's hood Mangbetu people, Lugbara, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th – early 20th century	*Mask (kibwabwabwa)* Mbagani Kete people, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th – early 20th century
Spirit of Gu mask Guro people, Cote d'Ivoire Late 19th – early 20th century	Mask Kulango people, Cote d'Ivoire Late 19th – early 20th century	Anthropomorphic coffin Ngata people, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th – early 20th century	Female figure (Naho, messenger of the Supreme Being, Gale) Ngbaka people, Democratic Republic of the Congo Early 20th century	Stool Pende people, Democratic Republic of the Congo ca. late 19th century-early 20th century
*Mask (mbuya)* Pende people, Democratic Republic of the Congo ca. late 19th century-early 20th century	Chief's mask (pumbu ya mfumu) Pende people, Kasai River area, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th – early 20th century	*Chieftain’s mask (pumbu ya mfumu)* Pende people, Kasai River area, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th – early 20th century	Fetish figure Songye people, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th – early 20th century	Mask (kifwebe) Songye people, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th – early 20th century
Power Figure Songye people, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th – early 20th century	*Female mask (kifwebe)* Songye people, Democratic Republic of the Congo Early 20th century	Male power figure Suku people, Democratic Republic of the Congo ca. late 19th century-early 20th century	*Ancestor spirit power figure (biteki)* Suku people, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th – early 20th century	*Power Figure (butti)* Teke people, Northern Tsaye group, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th – early 20th century
Kidumu society mask Teke people, Northern Tsaye group, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th – early 20th century	Personal fetish figure Yaka people, Democratic Republic of the Congo ca. late 19th century-early 20th century	*Power figure (biteki)* Yaka people, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th – early 20th century	*Protective fertility figure (yanda)* Zande people, Democratic Republic of the Congo Late 19th – early 20th century	Ngil society mask Fang people, Gabon
*Lid with reliquary guardian figure (byeri)* Fang people, Gabon Late 19th – early 20th century	*Female reliquary guardian figure (byeri)* Fang people, Gabon Late 19th - early 20th century	*Reliquary guardian figure (mbulu ngulu)* Kota people, Gabon Late 19th – early 20th century	*Reliquary guardian figures (byeri)* Fang people, Ngumba people, Cameroon Late 19th – early 20th century	*Helmet mask (ngontang)* Fang people, Gabon Late 19th – early 20th century
*Harp (ngombi)* Fang people, Gabon Late 19th – early 20th century	*Female reliquary guardian figure (byeri)* Fang people, Gabon Late 19th – early 20th century	Helmet mask Fang people, Gabon Late 19th – early 20th century	*Reliquary guardian figure (mbulu ngulu)* Kota people, Franceville district, Gabon Late 19th – early 20th century	*Reliquary guardian figure (mbulu ngulu)* Kota people, Gabon Late 19th – early 20th century
Ceremonial funerary mask Kota people, Gabon Late 19th – early 20th century	Ceremonial throwing knife Kota-Fang people, Gabon ca. late 19th century-early 20th century	*Funerary female spirit mask (okuyi)* Lumbo-Punu people, Gabon Early-mid 20th century	Poro society initiation mask (kpeli-yehe) Senufo people, Cote d'Ivoire Late 19th – early 20th century	*Champion cultivator’s staff (te fali pitya)* Senufo people, Mali or Cote d’Ivoire Late 19th – early 20th century
Seated female figure Senufo people, Cote d'Ivoire ca. late 19th century-early 20th century	*Firespitter helmet mask (kponungo)* Senufo people, Cote d'Ivoire Late 19th – early 20th century	Poro society initiation mask (kpeli-yehe) Senufo people, Mali Late 19th – early 20th century	Two-faced firespitter helmet mask (kponungo) Senufo people, Mali or Cote d’Ivoire Early 20th century	*Reliquary guardian figure (bwiti)* Mahongwe people, Gabon Late 19th – early 20th century
*Reliquary guardian figure (mbulu ngulu)* Mahongwe- Kota people, Gabon Late 19th – early 20th century	*Mask (mvudi)* Aduma or Mbete people, Gabon and Congo Late 19th – early 20th century	Reliquary guardian figure Mbete people, Gabon Late 19th – early 20th century	Female figure Punu people, Gabon ca. late 19th century-early 20th century	*Reliquary guardian figure (mbulu ngulu)* Shamaye people, Gabon Late 19th – early 20th century
*Reliquary guardian figure (mbulu ngulu)* Shamaye people, Gabon Late 19th – early 20th century	Female figure Shira-Punu people, Gabon ca. late 19th century-early 20th century	Processional Jerusalem cross Ethiopia 10th century	Hand cross East Ethiopia ca. 16th century	Head sculpture Axum people, Ethiopia Undated
Oil or water receptacle Axum people, Ethiopia 6th-9th century	Ossuary Axum people, Ethiopia 6th-9th century	Miracles of Mary manuscript Gondar people, Ethiopia ca. 1732	Headrest Kaffa area (?), Ethiopia Early 20th century	*Pair of figures (bateba)* Lobi people, Burkina Faso Late 19th – early 20th century

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