Monkey mask "gban" ·  Côte d'Ivoire, Baule · ID: 3042403

Description

wood, brown patina, white and dark pigment remains, concave vaulted heart-shaped facial plane with projecting ears, see-holes narrowed by metal appications, indicated snout, forehead ridge, slightly dam. (forehead, ears), abrasion of paint, traces of insect caused damage (backside), base;
present mask perfomed in “gbagba” performances which are led and commented by the costumed but not masked figure of “ambomon”. He often was followed by lower-prestige animal masks, which could be worn by young, relatively inexperienced dancers. Some wear masks of domestic animals - commonly sheep and goats. They enact short comic scenes that extract money from the audience. These are followed by masks representing large wild animals, targets of the hunt. Such skits always end with the successful “killing” of the masked prey.

The object Monkey mask “gban” with the object ID 3042403 was last part of the auction 86th Tribal Art Auction at May 27, 2017 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house and had the lot number 229.

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Comparing literature

AHDCR 0061280 (comparable object) Vogel, Susan Mullin, Baule, African Art - Western Eyes, New York 1997, p. 149 ff.

Publications

AHDRC: 0142179