Sheep's head
Artist Unidentified
20th century
Object PlaceMali
Medium/TechniqueWood, pigment, metal
DimensionsOverall: 23 x 38 x 47 cm (9 1/16 x 14 15/16 x 18 1/2 in.)
Credit LineGift of Geneviève McMillan in memory of Reba Stewart
Accession number2009.2692
On View
Not on viewClassificationsSculpture
Collections
Among the many Bamana art forms is sogo bò, a puppet masquerade theater shared with the Bozo and other neighboring peoples. Animal characters appear in vigorous and colorful performances, accompanied by singing and clapping. Organized by village youth associations, whose male and female members range from age fourteen to about thirty-five, the theater's aim is entertainment, allowing young men and women to explore the moral universe and gain knowledge through play, humor, satire, and wit.
ProvenanceEarly 1980s, sold by an unknown African dealer, Cambridge, MA, to Geneviève McMillan (b. 1922 - d. 2008), Cambridge, MA; 2008, to the Geneviève McMillan and Reba Stewart Foundation, Cambridge; 2009, gift of the Geneviève McMillan and Reba Stewart Foundation to the MFA. (Accession Date: June 17, 2009)
