Description : African art. Kpelle/Dan, Guinea Ivory Coast, Small mask. Hardwood with natural patina. Signs of use. Provenance: Ex. Franco Monti collection. . A mask of small size but of considerable artistic aesthetic value, in the shape of a human face characterized by a convex forehead, a prominent nose concealing some holes underneath, probably originally used to stop monkey hair (now missing) falling over the square mouth. The latter may have originally been carved in the shape of a toucan's beak as in the Gagon male masks of the Dan. In accordance with Ezio Bassani's description of a very similar mask in the collection of the Extra-European Collections of the Castello Sforzesco in Milan, in order to be attributed with certainty to the Kpelle ethnic group (or Guerzè, one of the 140 nicknames given to this Guinean people), this mask should have circular tubular eyes, while in the masks of the same type of the neighboring Dan they should be slit-shaped. It is therefore difficult to give a definite area of origin to this mask, since although the eyebrow arches are well highlighted, the eyes are not even hinted at. To get out of the dilemma I again borrow the words of Bassani who again in the same card proposes, It is possible that the iconography of the Kpelle masks derives from the superimposition of elements of the Gagon masks of the Dan and others derived from the Landau masks of the Toma of Liberia. With base. Cm 6,00 x 17,00 x 8,00.
Prix: 0.00 USD🔓Accès libre sans carte bancaire.
Estimations(basse-haute) : 500 EUR-800 EUR🔓Accès libre sans carte bancaire.
À propos du lot
n° 279 Titre : Small Mask Dimensions : Cm 6,00 x 17,00 x 8,00 Condition report : Signs of use Capitolium Art, Salle de vente
, Brescia, IT🔓Accès libre sans carte bancaire. Titre de la vente : Day 2 - JEWELRY FROM THE WORLD AND AFRICAN ART Date de la vente : 05/07/2023🔓Accès libre sans carte bancaire. Référence de l'enchère
: Live Sale