Description:

West Africa, Burkina Faso, Yatenga Province, Upper Volta, Mossi peoples, ca. late 19th to early 20th century CE. A large wooden Karan-wemba mask, with a stylized woman standing atop the face panel. Such an elaborate mask would be worn during funerary rites for a revered woman known as "wemba" and a handle protrudes from the chin of the mask for the wearer to hold and dance with. The abstract face has eye holes for seeing through and a vertical ridge that is indicative of the Yatenga region. Wemba woman are those who have married, raised children, and once widowed, have returned to their father's household. They are regarded as elders of high respect and wisdom - having fulfilled their roles as wives and mothers. Their age also creates spiritual link between the new and past generations. Size: 50" L x 7" W (127 cm x 17.8 cm)

This mask was loaned to the University of South Dakota Art Galleries for the African Art Exhibition in September 14th to October 30th 1992.

Provenance: private Littleton, Colorado, USA collection, acquired from Ben M. Pickard Galleries, July 1973, and collected prior to 1965 in West Africa

Notice: We coordinate worldwide shipping to most destinations, overseeing every detail in-house to guarantee a smooth and exceptional delivery experience.

SHIPPING EXCEPTIONS: Due to customs clearance issues, we are unable to ship to Germany, Switzerland and Australia. If you live in Germany, Switzerland or Australia, you will need to provide an alternate shipping destination, or we will not be able to complete your purchase. In addition, please note that we are unable to ship ancient items back to the original country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.)

PAYMENT EXCEPTION: For clients not previously established with Artemis, payment for all gold, precious metal, and gemstone lots is required via bank wire transfer or certified bank check/money order, without exception.

Item # 186864

  • Condition: Restoration, the very top of the face panel and the surface that the figure's feet are attached to - is new plaster material, painted and blended to match the wood. Old chips and abrasions, otherwise the rest of the face panel and figure are wood and have no other repairs. Nice patina throughout.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense

May 15, 2026 9:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 30% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000