Anthropomorphic mask ·  Mali, Dogon · ID: 3038286

Description

light brown wood, encrusted blackish brown patina, red paint, cowrie shells, remains of fur, flat ground, a bulging forehead forming an animal head with trunk-like projection, the latter, at the same time, forms the nose of the actual mask face, open mouth with inserted animal teeth (mostly missing), netting at the back, pierced around the rim, min. dam., traces of insect caused damage (back), cracks, small missing parts, traces of abrasion, base;
depicting a person called “the hunter”. The masks are carved by the person who wears it lateron. Because the Dogon believe that game animals are overpowered by magical means, hunters are also magicians.
It is completed by a plant fibre costume which covers the most part of the body.

The object Anthropomorphic mask with the object ID 3038286 was last part of the auction 79th Tribal Art Auction at March 21, 2015 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 133.

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.

Publications

Bilot, Alain, Masques du pays Dogon, Paris 2001, p. 152, ill. 77