Bozo Merekun or Marionette Head, Based

A pink antelope, on a pole, at a festival. Of course it is.

The Bozo fish along the Niger River in Mali, and they are known for puppet masquerades in which carved animal characters perform at community festivals. This marionette head, carved in the 20th century, shows an antelope-like creature painted pink and white, jutting forward from a weathered wooden pole. Long ears with red interiors sweep back. The large eyes are ringed in black, red and white, and the open mouth and nostrils are painted red.

Chipped paint and a worn handle show it has been used. Twenty-seven inches tall on its base. Cheerful, and no apology.