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Photo of collection object Gelede Helmet Mask of a Gendarme — Yorùbá. Gelede Helmet Mask of a Gendarme, early 20th century. Wood, metal, pigment, 10 x 7 x 11 in. (25.4 x 17.8 x 27.9 cm). Gift of Eugene and Harriet Becker, 1991.226.3. Creative Commons-BY.

Brooklyn Museum

Brooklyn Museum

Gelede Helmet Mask of a Gendarme

early 20th century

Yorùbá

Arts of Africa

Male Yoruba dancers wear gelede masks at festivals honoring the women of the community. Gelede masquerades often serve as a showcase for artistic innovation, with their masks depicting motifs that are both entertaining and critical. This mask depicts a French gendarme, a colonial soldier wearing a blue cap, and was most likely performed as a critique of French personal and political behavior during the colonial period.

Original Source

Maker/Artist: Yorùbá
Classification: Masks
Formatted Medium: Wood, metal, pigment
Medium: wood, metal, pigment
Locations: Place made: Benin
Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 11 in. (25.4 x 17.8 x 27.9 cm)
Departments: Arts of Africa
Accession Number: 1991.226.3
Credit Line: Gift of Eugene and Harriet Becker
Exhibitions: African Innovations, Double Take: African Innovations, Infinite Blue
Rights Statement: Creative Commons-BY
Museum Location: This item is not on view
Dominant Colors

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Gelede Helmet Mask of a Gendarme | musefully