Mask with movable jaw · Côte d'Ivoire, Wé · ID: 3032928
Gaston de Havenon, New York, USA
Description
wood, dark brown patina, kaolin, leather straps with remains of fur at the chin, projecting forms: tubular eyes, tusks, a round snout reminding of a baboon, expressive effect, slightly dam., minor missing parts, on base;
presumably belonging to a group of dance masks called “dhi gla”. The two slits above the actual eyes improved the dancers possiblity of seeing. In modern ethnology the Wobe and the Guere joined together form the Wé.
The object Mask with movable jaw with the object ID 3032928 was part of the auction 69th tribal art auction on June 2, 2012. The object with the lot number 312 achieved a sales price of EUR 2,200 with an asking price of EUR 2,000.
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.
Comparing literature
Hahner-Herzog, Iris, Das Zweite Gesicht, Genf, München, New York 1997, ill. 95
Publications
The de Havenon Collection, Museum of African Art, Washington, D.C., 1971, ill. 86