This Dogon mask is notable for its remarkably rigorous and architectural form.
This style of mask is known as dege, the name for a black monkey, a creature noted for its unpredictability, gluttony, and general villainy. The dege mask appears in an “obscene or comic performance” which illustrates these character traits (Richards, “What’s in a Dogon Mask”, Res: Anthropology and Aesthetics, Nos. 49 & 50, 2006, p. 108).
For other masks of this type see the example: https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2019/art-of-africa-oceania-and-the-americas/dogon-mask-mali
Provenance: Manfred Schäfer collection, ex- gallery owner from Ulm, Germany.
Including professional custom made stand.
Object: Monkey mask
Ethnic group/ culture: Dogon
Region/ country: Mali
Period: Mid 20th century
Condition: Good
Sold with stand: Yes
Dimensions: 40×12×12 cm
Weight: 1200 g