Anthropomorphic mask · Guinea/Liberia, Dan-Guerze (Kpelle) · ID: 3043592
Vittorio Carini, Bergamo, Italy
Italian Collection, Roma
Description
wood, brown patina, black paint/mass, brass earrings, abundant wig from fine plaited plant fibre strings, angular structure on the face, metal teeth, the eyes striking small and narrow slit, slightly dam., upper lip modelled with blackish mass, old rep. (resin, cord) at the rim, metal base.
Present mask can be classified most likely as “tankagle” type, 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 mask with the object ID 3043592 was last part of the auction 88th Tribal Art Auction at March 10, 2018 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 137 achieved a sales price of EUR 5,000.
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.
Expertise
Vittorio Carini
Publications
Arts d' Afrique Noire 89 (1994), p. 49; Carini, Vittorio, A Hidden Heritage, Milan 2004, p. 125, ill. 95