African Animal masks

African art is virtually unimaginable without its wide variety of representations of animals. Innumerable show the Black Continent’s abundant animal world and play an important role in the magic rituals of traditional African societies. In fact, African depictions of animals are so fascinating to us Europeans not only because they attest to the close proximity between these peoples and the wildlife around them, but also because the use of animals in mask rituals demonstrates that these creatures are seen as representatives of invisible forces and spirits. This catalogue is devoted more specifically to animal masks and their cultural meanings. It illustrates the enormous stylistic range of African masks, from naturalist depictions to abstract representations, as well as the typical composite masks, which unite the features of multiple animals.