A DAN MASK

Ivory Coast, West Africa

Ex collection Philip and Rosalind Goldman

Wood, 30 x 20 cm

Dan people have achieved notoriety for their entertainment festivals which were village ceremonies. During these festivals masked performers dance on stilts. The go Master, the head of the like-named society possesses the masks and guards them in a sacred hut.

All Dan masks are sacred; they do not represent spirits of the wilderness, they are these spirits. Dan masks are characterized by a concave face, a protruding mouth, high domed forehead and are often covered in rich brown patina.

There are a variety of Dan face masks, each of which has a different function.

Price on request.

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