Traditional sculpture of the Bete tribe, Ivory Coast

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Periodical article

Title:	Traditional sculpture of the Bete tribe, Ivory Coast
Author:	Herold, E.
Year:	1985
Periodical:	Annals of the Náprstek Museum
Issue:	13
Pages:	81-166
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Ivory Coast - Côte d'Ivoire
Subjects:	Bete masks
Abstract:	Surprisingly little information on the art production of the Bete of the Ivory Coast is available in the literature. On the basis of what is probably the largest existing collection of Bete sculptures outside the Ivory Coast, that of the Náprstek Museum in Prague, the author summarizes and classifies all the information that could be deduced from this material. It appears that the usage of ritual masks ws not practically limited to the western groups around Daloa, that the existence of masks among the easern Bete in the Gagnoa region was not exceptional, and that even the Bete living in the region of Issia-Soubré used dance masks. Bete masks from Daloa region, which are the best known works of art of this tribe, and which also appear most frequently in collections, are related to the Dan-Ngere complex in style. Gagnoa region seems to have been the art core of the Bete tribal territory, and it is only there that masks and figural sculpture have survived in mature form. Bibliogr., notes, ref.