Lot 275
West Africa, Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire, Dan peoples, ca. late 19th to mid-20th century CE. A fabulous and handsome example of a ceremonial dance mask, all hand-carved from wood with twisted vegetal fiber tassels. The ovoid face bears a pair of circular eyes, cut into thick raised rims, a protruding nose, and pursed lips with tin panels set into the opening as teeth. A low relief vertical ridge highlights the forehead which bulges slightly outwards above the rest of the face. The cheeks and chin are covered with a densely woven panel nailed into the wood then covered with clay or resin, the dangling cordage serving as a beard. Set behind the beard, along the rim are several perforations for attaching this mask to a larger costume. Size: 10" L x 5.75" W (25.4 cm x 14.6 cm)
The Dan people, who live in Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire, produce masks for nearly every element or occasion of their society, including education, war, peace, and entertainment. In Mande, the Dan language, masks are referred to as "gle" or "ge," which is also the term for the supernatural beings who live outside the village and who can inhabit the masks during ritual practices. Men may have dreams or visions sent by the mask which they interpret through dance. There are over a dozen different characters that the masks represent in skits and mimes, but the meaning of the masks and personalities they portray may change over time as the mask is handed down through the generations.
Provenance: private San Francisco, California, USA collection, acquired 1970s to 2000s
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#170430
- Condition: Losses to beard fibers on chin. Wood has age related surface wear and minor abrasions, but intact and very good. Flaking to patina on obverse face. Interior of mask has a lustrous, smooth patina.
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