Mask – Wood – Dan – Ivory Coast

Authentic Dan mask in a very expressive design.
The Dan style is quite evident, with big round eyes and an open mouth.
Good condition with a beautiful aged patina on the wood.

The border between Cote d’Ivoire and Liberia cuts across several ethnic groups, including the Dan, Wee, Kran, and Grebo. In Dan society, dangerous immaterial forest spirits are translated into the forms of human face masks. Whether or not they are worn, such sculptures are spiritually charged. Male performers, gle-zo, experience a dream sent by the mask spirit that allows them to dance it. In performance, the masks are integrated into the hierarchical system that governs political and religious life.
Dan masks have been documented as the embodiment of at least a dozen artistic personalities.

Provenance: Manfred Schäfer collection, ex- gallery owner from Ulm, Germany.

Including professional custom made stand.