Mask (Kple Kple or Kouassi Gbe)
Unknown Artist
late 1800s-early 1900s
Medium
Wood, resin, and paint
Dimensions
{"overall":{"height":0.407}}
Classification
Mask
Department
African Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Katherine C. White
Accession Number
1975.155
About this artwork
This kple kple mask belongs to the first of four pairs of masks that entertain as part of a performance sequence in the goli dance. The male in each pair dances first. The masks are worn by young boys in a rapid stamping dance. The masqueraders alternate with each other and watch their partners perform. The head of the male kple kple is painted red, whereas the female, like this example, is colored black.