Horned mask "kpan"
Sotheby’s London, 17th june 1991, Lot 109
Roswitha von Bergmann, Düsseldorf, Germany
Karl-Ferdinand Schädler, Munich, Germany
Philippe Ratton, Paris, France (2014)
Description
wood, beautiful blackish brown shiny patina, kaolin, oval face shape, symmetrical features with elongated nose bridge, lowered eyelids covered with metal sheet, eyebrows and hairline arranged in concentrical grooves, raised skin scarification marks, two drilled holes at the bulging base (presumably for additionally fixing the mask with the mouth), inventory number “KS 4.102” backside at the rim, slightly dam., minor missing parts (left horn, on the left side of the mouth), fine cracks, small traces of insect caused damage (base), base;
for a work from the same workshop see S. Vogel, 1997, p. 175 bottom left.
“kpan” masks are part of the “goli” masquerade, a daylong performance that involves the entire village population and which displays four pairs of masks. They appear two by two in a fixed order: first a pair of disc-faced masks (“kple kple”), next a pair of animal helmet masks (“goli glen”), third a pair of horned face masks (“kpan pre”), and finally two human-faced masks (“kpan”). This popular ritual takes place during an important event such as the death of a notable or a major celebration. The “kpan” are the last to take part in the show, their appearance remaining exceptional: the ornamentation and colours are equally attributed to the two sexes, nothing making it possible to distinguish them clearly and their role remaining ambivalent.