Mask - Mali (No reserve price)

The Dogons live in Niger, along the cliffs of Bandiagara and inside the bend of the Middle Niger. A deeply mystical people, art is omnipresent in their lives—doors, masks, decorations, utensils, statues. Dogon art is characterized by its abundance and antiquity.

Masks are one of the elements of this artistic production, made from light wood and fibers; they are particularly fragile. There is a wide variety of different types, about 80, representing women, elders, youths, sorcerers, mythical figures, etc. These polychrome masks are nevertheless very distinctive; the top of the mask is often prominent, giving them a certain grandeur. They are derived from the “mother of masks,” which was kept apart and was used only during the celebrations of the great festival of Sigri, once every 60 years.