African MasksSMART KIDS

Yaka artist (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Mask, late 19th–20th century. Wood, pigments, and fiber, 53.5 cm. Gift of Perry E. H. Smith, Class of 1957 (y1990-90)

Kuba artist (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Mask, late 19th–20th century. Wood, raffia, shells, and feathers, 28 x 30.3 x 34.5 cm. Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Melvin A. Scharfman (y1980-25)

Look Carefully

What do you think these masks are made of? (Check the labels to see whether you are right.)

Do these masks look like people or like animals?

Choose one mask in the case. Circle the words that best describe it.

Masks allow a person to change the way he or she looks and to become someone or something different. In African cultures, masks are worn as parts of costumes, usually in ceremonies with music and dance. The masks in this case were made by artists from different countries in Africa.

bigsmall

smooth

roughcurvy

straight round

oval

rectangular

colorful

always free and open to the public

artmuseum.princeton.edu

SMART KIDS

Make Connections

Have you ever worn a mask? What kind?

Was it part of a costume? If so, describe the costume.

Was it part of a holiday celebration? What holiday?

Use Your Imagination

Choose the mask that you would most like to wear.

What would the rest of your costume look like? How would you move? What sounds might you make?

Draw a picture of your costume here: