Ostrich mask · Mali, Dogon · ID: 3035729
Antonio Fiacco, Fehraltorf/Zurich, Switzerland
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.
The object Ostrich mask with the object ID 3035729 was last part of the auction 75th tribal art auction at November 30, 2013 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 153 achieved a sales price of EUR 4,500.
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Comparing literature
Bedaux, Jean Baptist, Art of the Dogon, Brussels 2012, p. 156