Ostrich mask ·  Mali, Dogon · ID: 3035729

Description

wood, matt patina, polychrome paint, metal tag, recatangular face with deepened eye zone, crowned by a standing ostrich, rep. (breakage at the beak), cracks, traces of abrasion, base;
the carvers of Dogon masks wore their own masks during ritual performances. The costume consisted of fibers covering nearly the whole body. The mask should catch and control the vital force, which could become dangerous when being allowed to roam around. The wearer of the ostrich mask elegantly swings back and forth, thus moving foreward slowly.

Comparing literature

Bedaux, Jean Baptist, Art of the Dogon, Brussels 2012, p. 156