Singer Mask · Côte d'Ivoire, Ngere · ID: 3033147
sold
EUR 3,000
Provenance
Sotheby’s London, 30 November 1982, lot 144Arcade Gallery, London, Great Britain
Size
H: 26,5 cm
H: 10.4 inch
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.
Comparing literature
Boyer, Alain-Michel, Girard, Patrick u.a., Arts premiers de Côte d' Ivoire, Sepia 1997, p. 65