Anthropomorphic face mask "kpan" of the "goli" group
Côte d'Ivoire, Baule
not available anymore
Provenance
Edgar Beer, Brussels, Belgium (1976)Dr. Oettli, Switzerland
Koller, Geneva, 26 June 2013, Lot 119
Private Collection, Berlin, Germany (2014)
Markus Gunti, Berlin, Germany (2016)
Christian Kennert, Potsdam, Germany
Size
H: 39,5 cm
H: 15.6 inch
Description
wood, polychrome painted, missing parts/ insect caused damage, rep., base
Four pairs of male / female, red / black painted masks appear in a strictly pre- defined order: disc-shaped “kple kple” masks (the junior male: representing youth and weakness), helmet masks in the shape of animals “goli glin” (the “father” or ancestors: representing strength), masks with rams’ horns “kpan pre” (the junior female) and finally two masks with portrait-like faces and elaborate hairstyles “kpan”, the senior female. She is considered the woman of the “goli glin” and embodies the ideal woman.