Helmet Mask

between 19th and 20th century

Senufo, African

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About the Artwork

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Provenance

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Exhibition History

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Published References

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Catalogue Raisonné

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Credit Line for Reproduction

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About the Artwork

The Senufo mask commonly known as "firespitter" is a composite representation created from a number of fearsome animals found in the wild. It combines the horns of an antelope, the jaws of a crocodile, the tusks of a warthog, and the figure of a chameleon to represent the "power of the bush."

Title Helmet Mask

Artwork Date between 19th and 20th century

Artist ----------

Life Dates ----------

Nationality Please note: Definitions for nationality may vary significantly, depending on chronology and world events. Some definitions include: Belonging to a people having a common origin based on a geography and/or descent and/or tradition and/or culture and/or religion and/or language, or sharing membership in a legally defined nation. African

Culture Please note: Cultures may be defined by the language, customs, religious beliefs, social norms, and material traits of a group. Senufo

Medium Wood

Dimensions Overall: 12 3/4 × 14 1/2 × 39 inches (32.4 × 36.8 × 99.1 cm) Including base (mount): 38 1/4 × 13 3/4 × 23 1/4 inches (97.2 × 34.9 × 59.1 cm)

Classification Sculpture

Department African Art

Credit Gift of Governor and Mrs. G. Mennen Williams

Accession Number This unique number is assigned to an individual artwork as part of the cataloguing process at the time of entry into the permanent collection. Most frequently, accession numbers begin with the year in which the artwork entered the museum’s holdings. For example, 2008.3 refers to the year of acquisition and notes that it was the 3rd of that year. The DIA has a few additional systems—no longer assigned—that identify specific donors or museum patronage groups. 66.485

Markings

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Provenance

Governor and Mrs. G. Mennen Williams;
1966-present, gift to the Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit, Michigan, USA)

For more information on provenance, please visit:

Provenance page

Exhibition History

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The exhibition history of a number of objects in our collection only begins after their acquisition by the museum, and may reflect an incomplete record.

We welcome your feedback for correction and/or improvement.

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