Important Dan mask – Ivory Coast / Liberia – carved wood

African anthropomorphic mask with a very handsome sculptural presence, stylistically attributable to the Dan tradition of the western Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia. The piece immediately stands out with its very elongated face, perfectly constructed, dominated by a strong vertical median ridge that runs across the forehead and extends into a long sculpted nose. This highly graphic architecture gives the mask remarkable visual strength while preserving the calm, interiorized expression characteristic of many Dan masks. The gaze is probably one of the most captivating elements of the piece. The eyes are treated as narrow, heavily modeled eyelids, further enhanced by significant traces of light pigment, creating a dramatic contrast with the deep brown-black patina of the wood. Dan masks with split eyes and sometimes outlined in white are well documented in museum collections and in the specialized literature. The forehead features a remarkable coiffure made up of multiple parallel carved lines. A row of cabochons or metal tacks in copper/bronze tones animates horizontally the top of the face and adds a particularly attractive decorative dimension. The mouth, small and projecting forward, also retains traces of light pigment. The upper part is still adorned with ancient vegetal or animal fibers, today irregular and partially preserved. Their presence greatly adds to the character of the piece and recalls that an African mask was historically only the sculpted part of a larger ensemble including coiffure, fibers, and costume. The reverse side is particularly interesting for the collector. It reveals substantial wood excavation as well as a succession of many ancient perforations around the edge, likely for attaching textile or vegetal elements. This anchoring system is also observed on Dan masks held in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum. The inner surface preserves signs of wear, rubbing, deposits, and ancient pigmentation. The wood also shows various small cracks, abrasions, surface losses, and irregularities consistent with age and the object’s material history. These elements were intentionally preserved and fully contribute to its aesthetic. Overall the piece has an archaic, elegant, and highly decorative presence, with a very beautiful contrast between the depth of the patinated wood, the light pigments, the metallic elements, and the fibers.

Stima:€275

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