Head of a Hobbyhorse (korèdugaso)
Unknown Artist
late 1800s–early 1900s
Medium
Wood and iron
Dimensions
14 × 13.8 × 40.8 cm
Classification
Sculpture
Department
African Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
James Albert Ford Memorial Fund
Accession Number
1935.307
About this artwork
Pertaining to the male initiation society called Korè, this sculpture from the Koulikoro region represents the head of an aardvark and is part of a wooden hobbyhorse that is mounted by a ritual buffoon. The Korè initiates are divided into different classes, each having a designated mask. The ritual buffoons appear in pantomimes on different public occasions and poke fun at village authorities and other high-ranking individuals.