A Bwa mask, Burkina Faso. Oval face with pierced diamond-shaped mouth, bold geometric motifs repeated in brightly painted designs that enliven the stylized features. Traditionally, when used during social events, such masks embodied nature and ancestor spirits that interact with human beings and influence their lives. At the beginning of the 20th century, they became a source of inspiration for the French avant-garde artists, fascinated by the abstract forms of this Art not trying to imitate the reality but using imagination to create a motif and convey an idea. Provenance: from the collection of Keith St Cartmail. Height 40 cm