Helmet Mask (Goli Glin)

early–mid-20th century

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 341

The Goli genre of theatrical masquerade was adopted by Baule communities from their Wan neighbors in the first decade of the twentieth century. Accompanied by lyrics sung in the original Wan, it may be performed during the funerals of important men or as a form of pure entertainment. Goli Glin is the senior male protagonist among a suite of four male-female mask pairs. Its weighty, horizontally oriented headdress combines the head of a bush cow with the horns of a gazelle, and its costume ensemble consists of a fresh green palm-frond cape and skirt. Goli Glin dancers execute the most difficult choreography in the Goli repertoire, defined by its speedy tempo and vigorous stamping movements punctuated by the cracking of a whip.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Title: Helmet Mask (Goli Glin)
Date: early–mid-20th century
Geography: central Côte d'Ivoire
Culture: Baule peoples
Medium: Wood, pigment
Dimensions: H. 11 × W. 9 1/4 × D. 32 1/2 in. (27.9 × 23.5 × 82.6 cm)
Classification: Wood-Sculpture
Credit Line: Gift of Ruth Trunzo, 1979
Object Number: 1979.535.2
Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

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