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African & Tribal Art :
Dan Masks : Dan Wooden Polychrome Mask
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Dan Wooden Polychrome Mask - PF.6032
Origin: Liberia
Circa: 20
th
Century AD
Dimensions:
13" (33.0cm) high
Collection: African
Medium: Wood
$9,600.00
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 changes 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. This style of
mask, specifically its high-domed forehead, slit
eyes, and long, beak-like nose, indicates that it
is a work of the northern Dan. Similar types of
masks are the Dugle and Gagon, both of which
were worn for entertainment purposes. The
bright red paint that covers the beak and the
tongue-shaped protrusion that rests along the
hairline add to the festive mood of this stunning
mask. The sculptor of this work has gracefully
combined human and animal elements into one.
He appears both man and bird, although not
quite either in full. Perhaps this is a
representation of a bush spirit or a mythological
character. Clearly, this mask indicates that it is
well worn and heavily encrusted with the patina
of usage. Doubtlessly, this mask once amused
countless numbers of Dan villages with its
colorful charms as it astounds us today with its
remarkable beauty.
- (PF.6032)
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