Artwork Page for Heddle Pulley (Bo Nun Amuin mask)

Details / Information for Heddle Pulley (Bo Nun Amuin mask)

Heddle Pulley (Bo Nun Amuin mask)

1900s

Africa, West Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Baule-style carver

Medium
Wood, metal, and plant fiber
Measurements
Overall: 14.6 cm (5 3/4 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Katherine C. White 1971.300
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
Not on view
Print
?

Did You Know?

This heddle pulley depicts a fearsome Bo Nun Amuin mask that recalls nature spirits.

Description

The heddle pulley, a working element of a narrow-band loom, bears a miniature sculpture. Heddle pulleys support and separate threads during weaving. Mounted above the weaver, the pulleys allow him to glance up at an object of inspiring beauty, rather than pure functionality. This pulley depicts a face mask, a secular usage of a typically sacred mask type.
A dark brown wood sculpture depicts a head with slit eyes and a mouth that juts out in a wide rectangle. A twisted fiber cord loops through a metal ring at the crown. Below the neck, the flat body is decorated with incised concentric arches and triangles. At the bottom, a U-shaped frame holds a light brown wooden spool on a thin metal axle, its ends bent and extending from each side.

Heddle Pulley (Bo Nun Amuin mask)

1900s

Africa, West Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Baule-style carver

See Also

Visually Similar by AI

Contact Us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please fill out the appropriate request form linked below:

Update or Correct Artwork Information

Imagery or Rights for Non-Open-Access Artworks

Report a Website Issue

Further Questions About This Artwork