Ram Mask (Bolo)
Bolo masks are primarily danced for entertainment during communal occasions like funerals, male initiations, and harvest celebrations. Comprising both animal and human features, the mask––always worn by a male dancer––refers to the cultural significance of the ram, an animal associated with male aggression across sub-Saharan Africa.
Details
- Palette
-
Select a color to find related artworks.
- Medium
- Wood and paint
- Dimensions
- overall: height 0.45 m, width 0.36 m, depth 0.36 m
- Department
- African Art
- Holding institution
- Cleveland Museum of Art
- Image provider
- cleveland-museum-of-art
- License
- CC0-1.0
- Credit
- René and Odette Delenne Collection, Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund
Art Genome Taxonomy
11 tags
Subject Matter
-
Animals Both · 99%
The title identifies a ram, while the image visibly presents large curled horns, pointed ears, a projecting muzzle, and nostril openings.
-
Zoomorphism Both · 95%
The catalog describes the mask as combining animal and human features; this combination is visible in the ram-like horns and muzzle alongside the stylized facial structure.
-
Performing Arts Metadata · 96%
The catalog states that Bolo masks are danced by male performers during communal occasions including funerals, male initiations, and harvest celebrations.
Visual Qualities
-
Symmetrical Visual · 97%
The frontal composition is organized around a central vertical ridge, with paired horns, ears, eye openings, and side elements balancing one another.
-
Dark Colors Visual · 92%
The surface is dominated by dark brown, black, and muted earth tones, with lighter and reddish areas of worn or faded pigment.
-
Highly Detailed Visual · 86%
The horns contain many repeated carved bands, and the face has layered planes, incised marks, apertures, and other visible surface details.
Medium and Techniques
-
Carving Both · 94%
The object is visibly carved, with deeply modeled facial planes and repeated carved ridges on the horns; the catalog also identifies a blacksmith-carver tradition.
Geographic Regions
-
African Art Metadata · 99%
The catalog lists African Art as a classification and gives the place of origin as Africa, West Africa, Burkina Faso.
Materials
-
Wood Metadata · 100%
The catalog specifies wood and paint as the medium.
Cultural and Religious Styles
-
Traditional African Art Metadata · 97%
The catalog places the object in the Bobo-style blacksmith-carver tradition of Burkina Faso, within the broader context of traditional African art.
Antiquities, Artifacts, and Religious Objects
-
Mask Both · 100%
The catalog classifies the work as a mask, and the image clearly shows a carved facial covering with eye, nostril, and mouth openings.
Source & rights
Unknown artist. Ram Mask (Bolo). Cleveland Museum of Art.