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HOME :
African & Tribal Art :
Dan Masks : Dan Wooden Gunye Ge or Zapkei Ge Mask with Raffia Wig
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Dan Wooden Gunye Ge or Zapkei Ge Mask with Raffia Wig - CK.0031
Origin: Liberia
Circa: 20
th
Century AD
Dimensions:
14" (35.6cm) high
x 9" (22.9cm) wide
Collection: African
Medium: Wood and Raffia
$6,000.00
Location: United States
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| Description |
The Dan are a farming people who inhabit the
hinterland of the western Ivory Coast and
Liberia. They have a great number of masked
figures that represent spirits of the bush, and
fulfill a variety of social, political, and religious
functions. Although eleven individual types of
masks can be distinguished by formal criteria,
the types cannot be associated with specific
functions because the meaning of the masks
change over time.
The rounded features, delicate carving, and
finely polished surface characteristic of Dan
masks make them among the most popular
and highly appreciated types of all African art.
The oval shape of the mask with its finely
carved features including the high forehead
and strongly protruding mouth with pursed
lips indicates that this is probably the work of
the northern Dan peoples. The circular eyes
that permit unhindered vision on the part of
the wearer are characteristic of the racer mask
(gunye ge) and the fire mask (zakpei ge), two
mask types originating in the north. The
gunye ge hold weekly running contests during
the dry season to test the prowess of young
warriors. The zapkei ge also appear at this
time of the year to inspect cooking fires and
prevent possible spreading. A fibrous wig and
beard has been attached to the holes around
the rim of the mask. This wig would have
covered up the scarf that the wearer had to
wrap around his head as a rule to further
conceal the dancer’s identity. This mask is a
masterpiece of woodcarving; it is evocative but
not imitative of the human form and originally
served a sacred ceremonial purpose. All these
aspects make the mask an epitome of African
art that can be easily embraced and lauded by
Western aesthetic tastes.
- (CK.0031)
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