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Dimitri André

A Dan Yakuba mask, Ivory Coast, aesthetically decorated, an oval shaped head which thins down at the chin, , the protruding mouth reveals metallic teeth, pointed nose rounded cheeks, hollowed circular eyes emphasized by metallic inlay, the hair is made with blackened rope, bells and cowry shells are placed around the top, sides and chin of the face, scrubbed thin robe is tied into the rest of the mask, surrounding it, glossy by use, signs of use. Incl. stand and certificate of origin and provenance.

“According to Dan beliefs, a spirit called Dü can deliver messages in dreams, particularly to dictate the design of masks. Imbued with a supernatural power that resides in the forest, the spirit is said to express its wish to participate in the life of the community through face masks.
Each mask is considered to be an individual with its own name and the embodiment of a specific spirit.” The spirit, which is not an ancestor, reveals its identity through the name given to it. For this reason, only the holders of a mask can explain its use and name, elements not determined by the form of the sculpture alone. 
In the Dan country, all males can become sculptors. They undertake an apprenticeship lasting several years with a professional, who may or may not be a member of the family circle. Mask carvers, called gle nye mä, have their own status among woodcarvers. The most famous among them earn the “honorary title of zo (master). Dan society is very hierarchical and places great value on tin: prestige or renown. Artistic mastery and talent make it possible to acquire this reputation. The most famous sculptors were, and today can still be, semi-itinerant craftsmen who only worked to commission and, in most cases, on site at the location where the work is commissioned. In the specific case of mask carving, prohibitions such as sexual abstinence must be scrupulously complied with."

Source: Musee du quai Branly Jacques Chirac

Further reading: Biro, Yaëlle, Fabriquer le regard. Marchands, réseaux et objets d’art africains à l’aube du XXe siècle. Dijon: Les Presses du réel, 2018.

Fischer, Eberhard, “Dan Forest Spirits: Masks in Dan Villages”, African Arts, Jan. 1978, volume 11, n02, pp. 16-23 + 94.

Fischer, Eberhard and Himmelheber, Hans, The Arts of the Dan in West Africa. Zurich: Museum Rietberg, 1984.

Fischer, Eberhard, “Maîtres sculpteurs des Dan au XXe siècle” in Fischer, Eberhard and Homberger, Lorenz (eds.), Les maîtres de la sculpture de Côte d’Ivoire. Paris: Skira / musée du quai Branly, 2015, pp. 107-150. Paris: Skira / musée du quai Branly, 2015, pp. 107-150.

Weight: 2 kg incl. stand



Côte d'Ivoire - Fair condition -  heavily used & with possibly minor parts missing

Figure - Wood

African Art

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African Art

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Figure - Wood

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African Art

This object is no longer available, but there’s still lots to explore

Figure - Wood

1080 objects

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