Puppet head
Artist Unidentified
20th century
Object PlaceMali
Medium/Techniquewood, brass tacks, glass
DimensionsOverall: 20 x 6 x 7.5 cm (7 7/8 x 2 3/8 x 2 15/16 in.)
Base: 5.6 X 5.8 X 5.8cm
Base: 5.6 X 5.8 X 5.8cm
Credit LineGift of Geneviève McMillan in memory of Reba Stewart
Accession number2009.2611
On View
Not on viewClassificationsDecorative arts
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.
ProvenanceGeneviève 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)
early 20th century
19th–20th century
