Description : wood, black patina, kaolin, helmet-shaped, with extremely long tusks, inward-curving trunk and large disc-shaped ears, sharp forehead/nose ridge flanked by raised button-like eyes, incised geometrical scarification marks, handwritten collection number backside 61.943, slightly dam., traces of insect caused damage, minor missing parts (ear rims), rep. (breakage: trunk), cracks, abrasion of paint. A very similar mask from the Musée National, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, illustrated in Ross, 1992, p. 127. In the southeastern Malinke region known as the Worodugu, are to be found masquerade traditions, known collectively by the Mande term do. The masquerades are principally performed on the occasion of tabaski, as the Muslim festival of id-al-qabir is often called. The various mask types make use of animal, and other, imagery that creates powerfully affective emblems of group identity. Groups - wether entire villages, village wards, or other socially constituted groups - are represented and perceived by the forms of their masquerade headdresses. One mask type is inspired by and named after the African savannah buffalo sigi, another is modelled and named after the waterbuck senze. Yet another type is inspired by and named after the elephant sama, which is the most largest of all, as befitting the largest land animal in Africa. The do masks appear collectively but perform individually and compete for performance primacy. Each has its own entourage of acolytes and musicians led by a ritual specialist gnambla and griot (= praise singer, poet, storyteller and musician). The words and chants of the griot, like the mask itself, evoke a particular historical identity. Continent: Africa
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About the lot N° 232 Title : Elephant Mask Sama, Period : 1992 Size : L: 145 cm, L: 57,1 inch Provenance : Old British Collection Literature : Ross, Doran H. (ed.), Elephant, Los Angeles 1992, p. 127, Ill. 6-18. Condition report : See description Zemanek-Muenster, auctioneer, Würzburg, DEIt's free to register now to view! Sale title : 87th Tribal Art Auction Sale date : 11 Nov 2017It's free to register now to view! Sale Reference : Live Sale