Mask - Dan - Côte d'Ivoire

Masque Dan – Côte d’Ivoire

Carved wood, plant fibers, antique patina
French private collection

This high-level Dan mask stands out for its great formal elegance and particularly meticulous execution. The face, with smooth, perfectly balanced volumes, features narrow almond-shaped eyes, a straight, prominent nose, and an open mouth with powerful modeling, giving the whole an expression that is both grave and interiorized. The composition is topped by a sculpted coiffure with a geometric decorative pattern, finely incised, reinforcing the figure’s nobility.

The presence of a beard made from braided plant fibers, antique and coherent, adds a ritual and dynamic dimension to the work. The wood surface reveals a deep black patina, shiny in places, marked by gentle and uniform wear, testimony to ancient and authentic use. The subtle reddish highlights visible in the hollows enhance the mask’s visual richness.

Among the Dan, this type of mask was associated with ritual, judicial, or initiatory functions, embodying spirits involved in village social life: maintaining order, mediation, transmission of values and knowledge. The balance between controlled abstraction and stylized naturalism is characteristic of the great ancient Dan masks, sought for their plastic strength and spiritual depth.

In terms of execution quality, condition, antiquity, and provenance, this mask constitutes a refined and authentic exemplar, worthy of the finest private collections.

Overview of our expertise house

Based in Belgium, our house of expertise and sales has been supporting collectors and families for years, with a simple approach: seriousness, transparency, and service. We enjoy a solid reputation among tribal-art enthusiasts and are among the reference sellers on Catawiki, where we count among the oldest dealers (over 8 years).

We have expertised and ensured the liquidation and dispersal of dozens of family collections, and sold thousands of objects in partnership with individuals, notaries, successions, inheritances, and collection cessations. Our track record speaks for itself: several hundred evaluations with nearly 100% positive feedback.

Pieces that have passed through our hands now figure in prestigious collections and, for some, have joined museum institutions. We regularly offer sales with no reserve price.

Express shipping: dispatch within 24 hours, insurance, tracking, and exceptionally careful and secure packing.
Contact 7 days a week: we respond quickly and remain at your disposal to advise you and document objects being sold.