- 48
Masque, Dan, Côte d'Ivoire
Description
- wood, metal and hair
- haut. 27 cm ; 10 1/2 in
Provenance
Collection Doris et Eric Beyersdorf, Genève
Christie's, Londres, The Doris and Eric Beyersdorf Collection of African Art, 29 juin 1994, n° 7
Collection privée européenne
Catalogue Note
A moving work of "classical" sculptural tradition, this mask, with its naturalistic features, exalts the ideal of beauty in Dan country. The precious intricacy of the very archaic coiffure, reproducing the traditional adornment of Manding women, testifies to the careful attention it received. Sometimes more prized than the mask itself, these coiffures were extremely complex to produce and were transferred from one generation of mask to another. This mask, like the beautiful Dan mask from the former Hubert Goldet collection (Sotheby's, Paris, 14 December 2011, No. 18), encapsulates the idealized beauty of the female face, identifiable by the fine slit of the narrowed eyes. The sensitivity of the sculpture is compounded by the metallic details and the nuances of the deep patina, both marks of time.
Dan mask, Côte d'Ivoire