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Bolo masks are primarily danced for entertainment during communal occasions like funerals, male initiations, and harvest celebrations. Comprising both animal and human features, the mask––always worn by a male dancer––refers to the cultural significance of the ram, an animal associated with male aggression across sub-Saharan Africa.
Page data
- Page
- 1
- Source index
- 0
- Type
- photo
- Media ID
- 70c3bd308860806b
- Size
- unknown
Document data
- ID
- 286706
- Core
- obj
- Type
- object
DTO data
{
"id": "286706",
"contentType": "object",
"title": "Ram Mask (Bolo)",
"description": "Bolo masks are primarily danced for entertainment during communal occasions like funerals, male initiations, and harvest celebrations. Comprising both animal and human features, the mask––always worn by a male dancer––refers to the cultural significance of the ram, an animal associated with male aggression across sub-Saharan Africa.",
"date": "possibly early 1900s",
"citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/2016.56",
"rights": "CC0",
"rightsUri": "CC0",
"language": "en",
"genreSpecific": [
"Mask"
],
"iiifBase": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2016.56/2016.56_web.jpg",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2016.56/2016.56_web.jpg",
"largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2016.56/2016.56_web.jpg",
"imageCount": 1,
"source": "import",
"dimensionsRaw": "Overall: 45 x 36 x 36 cm (17 11/16 x 14 3/16 x 14 3/16 in.)",
"cul": [
"Africa, West Africa, Burkina Faso, Bobo-style blacksmith-carver"
],
"accession": "2016.56"
}
Context sent to Scholar
Document identity
{
"localId": "286706",
"label": "Ram Mask (Bolo)",
"core": "obj",
"dtoType": "object"
}
Document source metadata
{
"id": "286706",
"contentType": "object",
"title": "Ram Mask (Bolo)",
"description": "Bolo masks are primarily danced for entertainment during communal occasions like funerals, male initiations, and harvest celebrations. Comprising both animal and human features, the mask––always worn by a male dancer––refers to the cultural significance of the ram, an animal associated with male aggression across sub-Saharan Africa.",
"date": "possibly early 1900s",
"citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/2016.56",
"rights": "CC0",
"rightsUri": "CC0",
"language": "en",
"genreSpecific": [
"Mask"
],
"iiifBase": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2016.56/2016.56_web.jpg",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2016.56/2016.56_web.jpg",
"largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2016.56/2016.56_web.jpg",
"imageCount": 1,
"source": "import",
"dimensionsRaw": "Overall: 45 x 36 x 36 cm (17 11/16 x 14 3/16 x 14 3/16 in.)",
"cul": [
"Africa, West Africa, Burkina Faso, Bobo-style blacksmith-carver"
],
"accession": "2016.56"
}
Document source extras
{
"tec": "Wood and paint",
"tombstone": "Ram Mask (Bolo), possibly early 1900s. Africa, West Africa, Burkina Faso, Bobo-style blacksmith-carver. Wood and paint; overall: 45 x 36 x 36 cm (17 11/16 x 14 3/16 x 14 3/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, René and Odette Delenne Collection, Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund, 2016.56",
"collection": "African Art",
"didYouKnow": "The mask was vividly painted while in use. Look closely at its surface to see traces of blue, red, and white paint.",
"citations": [
{
"citation": "Maesen, Alebert, et al. <em>Art d’Afrique dans les collections belges</em>, cat. 21. Exh. Cat. Tervuren: Royal Museum for Central Africa, June 29-October 30, 1963.",
"page_number": "cat. 21"
},
{
"citation": "Leuzinger, Elsy. <em>Die Kunst von Schwarz-Afrika</em>, cat. C6. Exh. Cat. Recklinghausen: Verlag Aurel Bongers, in association with Kunsthaus Zürich, October 31, 1970-February 10, 1971.",
"page_number": "cat. C6"
}
],
"url": "https://clevelandart.org/art/2016.56",
"creditline": "René and Odette Delenne Collection, Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund",
"sketchfabId": "edfcda0e03504bd186ad650b9ea39566",
"sketchfabUrl": "https://sketchfab.com/models/edfcda0e03504bd186ad650b9ea39566",
"updatedAt": "2026-06-18 21:15:56.281000",
"imageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2016.56/2016.56_print.jpg",
"sourceId": 286706,
"dept": "African Art",
"coll": "African Art",
"med": "Wood and paint",
"thumbnail_url": null,
"image_url": null
}
Page context
{
"seq": 1,
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"type": "photo",
"url": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2016.56/2016.56_web.jpg",
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}