Wahana Dairassouba, Koulé from Tiogo

For a collector it is a highlight, when he finds two similar objects of the same origin and he can compare them. The characteristic handwriting extracts from other carvers. You can draw one's conclusions about time of origin or the developing of the carvers skills over the years.

In case of Wahana Dairassouba we can compare two of his masks. And even better: We can match his masks with two similar masks of the same genre of a second carver, Nono Koné, who lived and worked in the same village at the same time. Comparing their masks will expose similarities regarding traditional style elements and individual differences (read the article in our blog).

Both carvers work in the classic traditional Senufo-style. Wahana distinguisehd between a simply made and a more elobarated style. If there were just one mask out of his hand, it could be said, that his decoration element on top of each side is a coincidence. But having two masks with the same feature, provides more information. Nono Koné's decorations at this place are roundly shaped, though Wahana created a different half round with a cornered angle. Keeping in mind, that there is a competition between the carvers, these two different conceptions of shape show the artistic awareness of the carver to separate and to give an individual recognizable feature.