The Baga people live in north-western Guinea along the Atlantic coastal areas and include the subgroups Sitemu, Pukur and Buluits. Baga artwork is based around four themes: omnipotent power and creating order through fear (the rule of the spirit a-Mantsho-no-Pon), benevolent guidance (a-Bol), control over natural forces (Banda) and ethics (d'mba). These four themes are vital to analyzing the d'mba or “nimba”, as these shoulder masks have historically been called. Similar image referenced in Sculptures d'Afrique 1977, Collection of Barbier Muller Geneve (illustrated on p. 75, text on p. 31). Provenance: Estate of Jack Faxon, Birmingham, MI. Michigan Senator and creator of the Michigan Council for the Arts. From the estate of Jack Faxon.