Rare moon mask with figural crest · Côte d'Ivoire, Baule · ID: 3041527
Description
wood, rich reddish- and honey brown patina, round face, framed by disc-shaped flattened rim with jagged contour, crowned by a figure in colon style (in profile view), slightly dam., fine cracks (chin), water spots (figure), minor missing parts at the back of the rim, metal base;
rather uncommon, rare mask type !
Certain Baule villages sometimes have masks (nowadays painted in bright colours) relating to the spirits of nature, the sun or the moon, which appear at the opening of a festival (“gbagba”, “adjusu”, “adiemele” etc.) - while among the neighbouring Yaure the “moon” mask is thoroughly sacred. The Baules “moon” masks dance just a little to “warm the dance place” for the arrival of more important masks and then depart.
The object Rare moon mask with figural crest with the object ID 3041527 was last part of the auction 85th Tribal Art Auction at March 4, 2017 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 175 achieved a sales price of EUR 3,800.
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
Vogel, Susan Mullin, Baule - African Art - Western Eyes, New York 1997, p. 160 f.
Publications
AHDRC: 0139788