Face mask with articulated jaw
Côte d'Ivoire, Wé/Ngere
Vendu
4 000 €
Provenance
Valluet-Ferrandin, Paris, FranceTaille
H: 27 cm
H: 10.6 inch
Description
wood, blackish brown patina, red and white pigment, roof-like protruding forehead, castagnet eyes, a broad and bulky nose, tubular projections, the snout coated with animal skin (with remains of fur), plaited bands of human hair along rim, inset human teeth, partly stud with aglets, metal hooks and wooden sticks (mostly broken out), slightly dam., minor missing parts, abrasion of paint;
presumably belonging to the “gle va” category. In the past “gle va” had an enormous reputation, and rarely made an appearance. It only settled large matters, such as stopping wars between villages.