With a naturalistically rendered portrait and protruding lower lip terminating close upon the chin, this Makonde helmet mask (lipiko) beautifully displays the hallmarks of its type. The drowsy, entranced expression of the face, so confidently formed in smooth undulations and subtle volumes, seems almost taken from life, and the application of hair above the brow only enhances the effect. A ruddy pigmentation colors the mask over its full surface, which is unmarked by the elaborate scarification designs that often adorn masks of this kind. The lipiko was originally used in initiation ceremonies for both boys and girls, marking their transition into adulthood.