If a mask is just displayed, it’s being treated as an object—visual form, style, materials—for viewers in a gallery or as a commodity. In its original cultural context, though, many African masks are meant to be performed: they’re part of masquerade rituals (Sande, Poro), worn with full costumes, accompanied by music, movement, and spoken or sung narratives. Performed masks are active agents in social life—used in initiation, ancestor veneration, divination, or affirming leadership—and their efficacy depends on correct ritual protocol and a designated audience (elders, initiates, community). Displayed masks lose that multisensory, contextual meaning; museums may provide labels but can’t reproduce ritual power or prescribed audience roles. For AP exam answers, tie this to PAA-1.A learning objectives (use, efficacy, intended audience) and cite examples like Bundu or Mblo masks. Review Topic 6.2 on Fiveable (study guide: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6/purpose-audience-african-art/study-guide/4K1ydYmfamTXtNK17RoM) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history) to prepare.

“Motivate behavior” means African art isn’t just for looking—it makes people act in specific ways. The CED says these arts are active: they’re performed, used in rituals, and produce expected results (PAA-1.A.18–22). For example, a Bundu mask (Sande society) guides girls through initiation rites: seeing, wearing, and dancing the mask teaches social norms and signals adulthood. A Mblo portrait mask honors someone and motivates respect or generosity toward that person. A lukasa memory board prompts a storyteller to recount history, so audiences learn laws and lineage (ancestor veneration). Divination objects influence decisions by producing signs people follow. In short, form and materials are chosen for use and efficacy—costumes, music, and protocols ensure the object causes the intended behavior. Connect this to AP tasks by explaining how purpose and audience shape visual and contextual features on the exam (see Topic 6.2 study guide: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6/purpose-audience-african-art/study-guide/4K1ydYmfamTXtNK17RoM). For extra practice, try problems at (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

Lukasa memory boards (Luba people, Central Africa) are wooden, hourglass-shaped boards inlaid with beads, shells, brass tacks, and sometimes cowrie shells or metal strips; surfaces are often carved, painted, or covered with bits of cloth. They’re made and cared for by specialists in the mbudye (historical-council) society. They don’t “store” facts like writing—they’re mnemonic devices. The pattern, color, spacing, and texture of beads and punctures map people, lineages, places, events, and sequences. A trained reader (or elder) touches and scans the board with their fingers while reciting or prompting oral histories and political information; tactile/visual cues trigger memorized narratives, genealogies, and legal precedents for chiefs and councils. Because interpretation is specialist-driven, the board’s audience is political/ritual elites, not the general public (see AP CED ideas about arts of authority and oral historians). For more exam-ready notes, check the Topic 6.2 study guide on Fiveable (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6/purpose-audience-african-art/study-guide/4K1ydYmfamTXtNK17RoM) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

Short answer: the Bundu mask isn’t just decorative or only for ceremonies—it’s a functional, performative object central to the Sande women’s initiation and social education. In Mende culture the mask (worn by women’s society leaders) appears during initiation rites to teach girls adulthood roles, ideals of female beauty, fertility, moral behavior, and social order. It’s meant to be danced and seen by specific audiences (initiates, elders, community members) and its power comes from performance, music, costume, and cultural protocol—not from being displayed on a shelf. On the AP exam, link this to PAA-1.A knowledge: African art is often performed, created for ritual and education, and validates social roles (see Topic 6.2 study guide: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6/purpose-audience-african-art/study-guide/4K1ydYmfamTXtNK17RoM). For practice applying this in FRQs, try the unit review (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6) and 1,000+ practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

Look for these visual IDs: a Mblo (Portrait) mask is typically carved wood, highly polished, idealized female features—a low, rounded forehead, downcast almond eyes, a small closed mouth, refined nose, and an elaborate coiffure or scarification. Labels you can use on the exam: Mblo (portrait) mask, Baule (Ivory Coast), wood and pigment, late 19th–20th century (give two of those). For function say: Mblo masks are performance objects used in public masquerades to honor a living person (often a respected patron). They’re not static portraits—they’re danced by masked performers with music and costume to praise virtues, validate social status, and reinforce community values (CED PAA-1.A.18–22, PAA-1.A.19–20). Audience = community members and the patron’s peers; custodianship and ritual protocol matter. On the exam, pair your visual IDs with function and intended audience to earn points. For a quick review, check the Topic 6.2 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6/purpose-audience-african-art/study-guide/4K1ydYmfamTXtNK17RoM) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

Daily-use objects are made to be handled and practical; their form prioritizes function, durability, and everyday audiences (household, market, community). Ritual objects, by contrast, are created for efficacy—they motivate behavior, mediate religious or political power, and are often performed, not just viewed (CED PAA-1.A.18–1.A.20). Ritual works may be commissioned by a leader or diviner, come under custodianship, and appear with music, costume, and restricted audiences (e.g., Sande Bundu masks used in female initiation; lukasa memory boards used by Mbudye historians)—their meaning depends on context and performance. Visually, ritual pieces can be more symbolic, stylized, or made from specific materials believed to confer power; they can also be secret or limited to initiated viewers. For AP exam answers, link function to intended audience, cite use/efficacy, and give examples from the required works list (Mblo, Bundu, lukasa, byeri)—see the Topic 6.2 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6/purpose-audience-african-art/study-guide/4K1ydYmfamTXtNK17RoM) and more practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

Reliquary figures like the Fang byeri were commissioned to protect and mediate the power of ancestors stored with their relics (bones, hair)—they made ancestral presence active in community life, legitimized lineage authority, and were used in rituals of initiation, healing, and guidance (ancestor veneration, ritual regalia). Patrons were usually a family head or kin group who sought the ancestor’s protection or to mark status; once made, custody stayed with the commissioner or a designated family member (the object comes under the custodianship of the person who commissioned it or a member of his/her family, CED PAA-1.A.20). Performances around the byeri (music, dance, masks) involved specific audiences and protocols to ensure efficacy. For AP prep, link this to PAA-1.A learning goals (use, audience, patronage) and review the Topic 6.2 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6/purpose-audience-african-art/study-guide/4K1ydYmfamTXtNK17RoM) or try practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

Think of African art as a tool that makes social rules and roles visible and effective. Objects (masks, reliquary figures, lukasa memory boards) aren’t just decorations—they perform duties: they mark initiation into adulthood, identify rank, hold ancestors’ power, and guide religious or political decisions. Because art is often used in ceremonies, accompanied by music and specific custodianship, it literally enacts social order: elders, bards, or secret societies control who sees or handles an object, so authority is both shown and maintained (PAA-1.A.18, PAA-1.A.21). Artists or patrons commission pieces for named purposes; specialists (griots, diviners) interpret them, linking art to law, history, and leadership (PAA-1.A.22). For AP exam focus, explain purpose, audience, and performance when you analyze a work—cite how form and ritual make art efficacious. Review the Topic 6.2 study guide for examples and exam tips (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6/purpose-audience-african-art/study-guide/4K1ydYmfamTXtNK17RoM) and practice with problems at Fiveable (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

Diviners often prescribe or commission objects used in diagnosis and communication with ancestors or spirits, so they’re central patrons in African art-making. Because efficacy matters more than aesthetic autonomy (CED PAA-1.A.19–20), a diviner will dictate form, materials, and iconography to ensure the object works in ritual—what signs, symbols, or substances must be included for potency. That means artists follow strict cultural protocols: specific proportions, media (like wood, metal, or beads), and incorporations of power items so the piece functions in performance, divination, or healing. The commissioner or their family then becomes custodian, and the object’s meaning is realized through masquerade, music, or ritual use (PAA-1.A.20–22). For exam prep, review Topic 6.2 in the Fiveable study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6/purpose-audience-african-art/study-guide/4K1ydYmfamTXtNK17RoM) and practice related questions at Fiveable’s practice page (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

Costumes and music are part of the art, not just extras. In many African performances (masquerades, Sande/Bundu rites, Mblo dances), masks and full regalia transform the wearer into ancestors, spirits, or officials; music and rhythm cue actions, signal authority, and make the ritual effective (PAA-1.A.18–1.A.21). Together they define purpose (religious, initiation, political), who the intended audience is (secret society members vs. public spectators), and how the work “works” in its culture (efficacy, social validation). Why this matters for the AP exam: questions often ask you to explain purpose, audience, and context (Skill 2: Contextual Analysis) —so mention performance context, costumes, and music when analyzing African works (e.g., Mblo mask, Bundu mask, reliquary figures). Review Topic 6.2 on the Fiveable study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6/purpose-audience-african-art/study-guide/4K1ydYmfamTXtNK17RoM) and practice contextual questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history) to build these connections.

African leaders use art to legitimate and communicate their authority—art objects act as tools of leadership, not just decoration. Pieces like reliquary figures (byeri), memory boards (lukasa), and portrait masks (Mblo) store ancestor histories, perform in masquerades, and mark initiation or civic roles; they validate social order and link leaders to sacred ancestors (PAA-1.A.21). Leaders commission, sponsor, or become custodians of these works, controlling who sees them and when—so audience and context (ritual, procession, initiation) determine form, materials, and performance (PAA-1.A.18–20). Bards and specialists transmit histories through song and object use, making art an active mechanism of political memory. If you’re studying for the exam, focus on purpose/audience prompts in Topic 6.2 and use the Fiveable study guide for this topic (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6/purpose-audience-african-art/study-guide/4K1ydYmfamTXtNK17RoM). More practice problems are at (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

Personal identity in African art is shown through specific aesthetic choices that signal who someone is, their role, and their relationships. Artists use form, materials, and performance to communicate identity: for example, a Mblo portrait mask emphasizes individualized facial features and idealized beauty to honor a specific person’s character and social reputation; a Bundu mask uses smooth, stylized coiffure and scarification marks to show a woman’s membership in the Sande initiation society and her staged transition to adulthood. Choices of materials (precious metals, ivory, or local wood), scale, and inscriptions often reflect patronage and status, while costumes, music, and choreography during masquerade performances activate the object’s meaning for a designated audience (CED PAA-1.A.19–21). On the exam, tie these visual details to function and audience in contextual-analysis prompts. For a focused review, see the Topic 6.2 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6/purpose-audience-african-art/study-guide/4K1ydYmfamTXtNK17RoM) and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

That phrase means African art isn’t meant to be seen as isolated objects in a museum—it’s part of a live, multi-sensory event. Many works (masks, reliquary figures, lukasa memory boards, portrait masks) are activated by song, dance, spoken history, ritual costume, and music so they perform meaning for a specific audience (initiates, elders, patrons). Specialists like bards or griots sing histories; masking performances mark initiation rites or authority; diviners use objects with prescribed protocols to produce expected results (efficacy). For the AP exam, remember CED ideas: art is active, created for use and ritual (PAA-1.A.18–22), and context matters—describe performance, intended audience, and function in free-response answers. Review Topic 6.2 on Fiveable (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6/purpose-audience-african-art/study-guide/4K1ydYmfamTXtNK17RoM) and practice with questions at (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).

Think of African masks as tools made for action and specific groups, while European portraits are made primarily for identification, display, and individual patronage. African masks (Mblo, Bundu) are performative objects used in masquerade, initiation, divination, ancestor veneration, and moments when efficacy matters; their audience is a ritual community (Sande, Poro, elders, initiates) and meaning comes from performance, music, and custodianship (CED PAA-1.A.18–22). European portraits are usually commissioned by or for an individual or court to communicate status, lineage, or political identity to viewers in domestic or public display; the audience can be contemporaries or posterity and the object’s power is visual representation rather than action. For AP essays, emphasize specific visual/contextual evidence and compare purpose/audience directly (Free-Response Q1 skills: comparison, use evidence). Review Topic 6.2 study guide (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6/purpose-audience-african-art/study-guide/4K1ydYmfamTXtNK17RoM), unit overview (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6), and practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history) to build examples and exam-ready comparisons.

Fang (byeri) reliquary figures were carved from wood—often hollowed to sit atop bark or box containers holding ancestral bones—and finished with smoothing, burnishing, and pigmented coatings (bitumen or white kaolin). Artists used stylized, abstracted forms: an elongated, high forehead, simplified facial features, scarification patterns, frontal symmetry, and clasped hands. Some figures include metal attachments or mirrors to catch light during rituals. These techniques made the figures effective by visibly embodying ancestral presence (ancestor veneration) while being portable and durable for processions and secret family rites. The calm, idealized face signals moral authority and continuity; polished surfaces and reflective elements activated during performance, reinforcing efficacy and social roles. On the AP exam, discuss purpose/audience (PAA-1.A) and ritual performance when analyzing byeri (see the Topic 6.2 study guide: https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6/purpose-audience-african-art/study-guide/4K1ydYmfamTXtNK17RoM). For extra practice, use Fiveable’s unit review and 1000+ practice questions (https://library.fiveable.me/ap-art-history/unit-6; https://library.fiveable.me/practice/ap-art-history).