Grebo Back Mask Sande Society Liberia

This large and expressive carved mask represents a mysterious part of Grebo culture seldom seen by outsiders. It obviously represents a woman, as evidenced by the accentuated breasts. Art traders indicated that this style of mask is used by the secret women's society, Sande. They are danced by women, and worn on the back, at celebrations of marriage, anniversaries, and pregnancy.

Grebo masks are best known for their influence on early Western modern art being found in the collection of Picasso who obtained a Grebo mask from his dealer Kahnweiler in Paris. There is no doubt as to the influence of the Grebo style mask upon the development of Western art for they are a complete example of geometry in sculpture with the large face, square mouth, large forehead, strong nose, and tubular eyes.

The Grebo live in southeast Liberia at the border with the Ivory-Coast, with the Bassa people on their west and the Bete and We to their east in the Côte d'Ivoire. Little is known about the use of masks among the Grebo other than the fact that they are said to have been worn during wars by leaders as a kind of military costume.

127022