Singer Mask · Côte d'Ivoire, Ngere · ID: 3033147
Arcade Gallery, London, Great Britain
Description
wood, polychrome paint, metal, almond-shaped eyes with small see slits, dominated by a broad mouth with full lips and metal teeth, attached bells and a beard made from real hair, pierced around the rim, min. dam., missing parts, traces of abrasion;
through the use of metal additions like bells, or aluminium teeth in the upper lip, a mask becomes more powerful and efficient. The shiny effect of the metal and even the sound of the bells carry meaning. Both qualities make the dance more impressive and get the attention of not only the spectators but also the ancestors.
The object Singer Mask with the object ID 3033147 was last part of the auction 70th tribal art auction at September 8, 2012 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 261 achieved a sales price of EUR 3,000.
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Comparing literature
Boyer, Alain-Michel, Girard, Patrick u.a., Arts premiers de Côte d' Ivoire, Sepia 1997, p. 65