Anthropomorphic face mask ·  Côte d'Ivoire/Liberia, Dan · ID: 3036471

Description

wood, shiny black patina, white pigment, expressive form: projecting forehead, spherical eyes with narrow see-slits accentuated by incised lines with white pigment in the deepenings, accentuated cheekbones, big nose and mouth, slightly dam. (forehead, eyes, nosetip, mouth), cracks (upper and lower rim), metal base;
a mask of comparable even though of a much more exaggerated form can be found at K.-F. Schädler, Munich 2001, p. 55.
Concerning the mask type, it might be classified as “tankagle” mask, which means as much as “pantomimic dancing mask figure”. Such masks used to entertain the audience with varied dances, sometimes with playing little scenes or by singing.

The object Anthropomorphic face mask with the object ID 3036471 was last part of the auction 76th tribal art auction at March 22, 2014 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 192.

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

Schädler, Karl-Ferdinand, Kunst der Elfenbeinküste, München 2001, ill. 10