Mask · Mali, Marka · ID: 3034843
Michel Gaud, Saint Tropez, France
Description
wood, punched metal sheet, five projections with red fringes in the area of nose and temples, collection label “Harry Franklin Marka Mali Lahbe” backside, pierced around the rim, min. dam., slight traces of abrasion, socle;
all along the Niger this mask type is used for ceremonies associated with fishing and agriculture.
The Marka are divided into the Marka, or Soninke Marka, living in Mali, and the Dafing or Dafing-Marka, settling in Burkina Faso. Both groups are cultivating different mask traditions, very similiar to those of the surrounding ethnic groups.
The object Mask with the object ID 3034843 was last part of the auction 73rd tribal art auction at May 25, 2013 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 143 achieved a sales price of EUR 2,500.
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
Bacquart, Jean-Baptiste, The Tribal Arts of Africa, London 1998, p. 67, ill. c