With its downcast eyes and carefully composed features, this mask exhibits the classic "self containment" observed in both Baule sculpture and culture. For over a century, European artists have admired masks such as this for their beauty. Among the Baule people, there is a tradition of admiration for well made objects and those who make them. The finest masks are typically worn by the best dancers. The Baule live in the West African nation called the Ivory Coast, where they are the largest ethnic group in the country. This object would have been used in a type of performance known as Mblo, which uses face masks in skits and solo dances. While Mblo entertainments are among the oldest of the Baule's art forms, today these dances are considered old-fashioned in many villages. Mblo masks are believed to be portrait masks, and each example is unique. As in many masking cultures, when the mask is worn in a dance the identity of the wearer gives way to that of the mask. For the Baule, this effect is further enhanced by the fact that they do not clearly distinguish between the manmade object (mask or sculpture) and the character portrayed (whether person or spirit). Like other sculpted objects, Baule masks are individually owned, although the owner may neither wear nor keep the mask. The wearers, always male, serve as the caretakers of the objects. While not sacred, a Mblo mask is still regarded as powerful and is treated with great care. When not in use, a mask is wrapped in cotton cloth and hung in the dancer's sleeping room. This particular example clearly depicts a native tribesman wearing the pith helmet of a prototypical explorer or colonist. One can only wonder if this acquisition (of a new hat) was made in a friendly or unfriendly manner….