Red as blood and just as vital, a teardrop represents life-giving rain. This handsome mask by Godfred France performs an essential role among the Baule people of the Ivory Coast. “It is used when they are planting their crops to ask the gods for more rain. This is needed for the harvest,” the artisan explains. Carved by hand from seasoned African sese wood, the mask is decorated with ornate aluminum repoussé.
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