Anthropomorphic beak mask "sagbwe" · Côte d'Ivoire/Liberia, Dan · ID: 3044171

Name: Anthropomorphic beak mask "sagbwe"
SKU: 3044171
Availability: Discontinued

not available anymore

Provenance

Carl Otto Hultén, Malmö, Sweden

Size

H: 37 cm

H: 14.6 inch

Description

wood, brass,

The beak-like protrusion is always identified with the bill of a bird, and especially that of the horn-raven. “Sagbwe” means as much as “gbwe” (son of) and “sa” (calao). In Liberia as well as in Côte d’Ivoire, the beak is associated with the “mythical” bird of the same name, which is considered a cultural hero.

Bird-mask performances occur during the dry season, at harvest time. The function of the mask is to guard the village against the danger of fire.

The object Anthropomorphic beak mask “sagbwe” with the object ID 3044171 was last part of the auction 89th Tribal Art Auction at July 7, 2018 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 208.

You can find more Masks and other popular object types on our related topic pages. You may also be interested in our page on African art.

Comparing literature

Fagaly, William, Ancestors of Congo Square, New Orleans 2011, p. 103 Fischer, Eberhard & Hans Himmelheber, Die Kunst der Dan, Zürich 1976, p. 125, ill. 98