Dance mask - Dan - Côte d'Ivoire
06
days
14
hours
15
minutes
32
seconds
Starting bid
€ 1
Reserve price not met
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Selected by Julien Gauthier
A decade of experience in historical arms, armour, and African art.
Estimate € 280 - € 330
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Anthropomorphic dance mask from the Dan people of Côte d’Ivoire, carved in wood, measuring 215 × 135 × 70 mm and in good condition.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
Ivory Coast
Dan
Wood
Height: 215mm
Width: 135mm
Depth: 70mm
This anthropomorphic mask comes from the Dan people (often called Yacouba in Ivory Coast). This important West African ethnic group is settled in a forested and mountainous region covering the west of Ivory Coast and the northeast of Liberia.
Dan art is characterized by a search for balance, symmetry, and idealization of forms, creating works of great classical purity.
1. Stylistic and Aesthetic Features
This mask incorporates the most emblematic and refined canons of Dan statuary:
• The purity of the oval form: The face has regular, flowing contours, narrowing to a slightly pointed chin. The forehead is high, wide, and harmoniously domed.
• The midline of the forehead: A fine vertical crest carved in shallow relief divides the forehead in two. This line mimics traditional clan scarification and enhances perfect facial symmetry.
• The split eyes: The eyes are represented by two thin horizontal slits outlined with a slight relief. In Dan typology, these closed or narrowed eyes embody gentleness, interiority, serenity, and the feminine aspect of spirit.
• The mouth and nose: The nose is straight and well-proportioned. The mouth is sculpted with strong projection, largely open on fleshy lips and carefully drawn.
• The back and patina: The rear shows a deep, neat hollow conforming to the dancer’s face, with two distinct nostril perforations. The mask’s edge is dotted with evenly spaced mounting holes to anchor the heavy textile headdress and costume. In front, the wood has a smooth, dark brown patina with nuance.
2. Use and Ritual Function: The Deangle or Tankagle Mask
In Dan cosmology, masks are not merely stage adornments; they are the physical manifestation of the bush spirits (Gle) who wish to interact with humans:
• A benevolent and peaceful spirit: Because of its fine eyes and harmonious features, this mask belongs to the category of so-called "feminine" or peaceful masks, most often a Deangle (or a Tankagle). Unlike masks of justice or war, it embodies a joyful, protective, and friendly spirit.
• The link with Poro initiates: The Deangle plays an educational and crucial guiding role during the rite of passage for young boys within the secret society of Poro. When adolescents are isolated in the bush initiation camp, the mask bearer serves as a messenger. He leaves the sacred bush to go to the village to beg food from mothers and women for the initiates.
• Mediator and entertainer: Through its graceful presence, it also amuses the community. He moves by walking or dancing gracefully, interacts playfully with villagers, and may sing. Its inherent benevolence also helps ease tensions and restore harmony within the group during gatherings.
Packages are shipped Monday through Saturday with insurance and tracking number.
Delivery in 1 to 3 days in France via Chronopost, 2 to 5 days across the European Union.
Delivery in the rest of Europe and worldwide via Colissimo international.
We speak English
Mask African art African mask art Afrikanische Maskenkunst arte de máscaras africanas arte delle maschere africane arte delle statue africane Afrikanische Maskenkunst
Máscara de estatua de galería de arte africano
Seller's Story
Passionate about World Arts and more specifically about African Art, we buy from collectors, former officials, military, health workers, public works staff who have worked in Africa and also in Côte d'Ivoire, from antique dealers and traders who roam across West Africa to find quality objects.
It is with pride that we present works that, beyond their power to beautify spaces, invite our collectors to resonate with the richness and depth of human expression through the most authentic art.
At Arts Ethniques Gallery, we have the privilege of offering our visitors an exclusive selection of artworks, all unique and original. Each piece presented is the outcome of a demanding artistic approach, driven by a singular vision and mastered craftsmanship, all elements that guarantee authenticity and value.
The works we offer are not industrial reproductions. They are individual creations, crafted with sensitivity and precision, each bearing its own story, identity and presence. Originality is the very foundation of our commitment to excellence. Thus, every mask and every statue in our collection is the subject of a rigorous selection, in order to preserve their rarity and singularity.
Acquiring a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery means owning a truly unique piece: a creation that embodies both talent, cultural memory and the expressive force of African art. It is also a lasting investment in a work whose artistic and emotional value transcends time.
We guarantee that every work leaving our gallery is an authentic piece, without replicas, bearing witness to the creativity, heritage and passion of the African artists who shaped them.
We invite you to participate in our gallery’s auctions with confidence. Each presented work is an original, unique and irreplaceable creation, selected with the greatest rigor to guarantee its authenticity and artistic value.
Whether you wish to enrich a personal collection or introduce an exceptional artwork into your space, Arts Ethniques Gallery offers a safe, transparent and professional setting to acquire remarkable pieces.
Art auctions are a privileged moment to discover rare works, capable of becoming the heart of a collection. Acquiring a work at our sales is not just buying an object: it is investing in a creation whose aesthetic value and cultural reach reinforce over time.
The pieces presented by Arts Ethniques Gallery testify not only to the talent and vision of the artists but also possess the ability to transform spaces and enrich the gaze of those who behold them.
Participating in our auctions is taking part in a singular experience, where the passion for art meets the rigors of collecting. Bidding on a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery goes beyond a simple transaction: it is a gesture of commitment and appreciation for art in its most authentic form.
We invite you to bid with passion and to join us in this adventure dedicated to discovery, transmission and celebration of art.
Perhaps your next heart piece is already waiting for you."
Translated by Google TranslateIvory Coast
Dan
Wood
Height: 215mm
Width: 135mm
Depth: 70mm
This anthropomorphic mask comes from the Dan people (often called Yacouba in Ivory Coast). This important West African ethnic group is settled in a forested and mountainous region covering the west of Ivory Coast and the northeast of Liberia.
Dan art is characterized by a search for balance, symmetry, and idealization of forms, creating works of great classical purity.
1. Stylistic and Aesthetic Features
This mask incorporates the most emblematic and refined canons of Dan statuary:
• The purity of the oval form: The face has regular, flowing contours, narrowing to a slightly pointed chin. The forehead is high, wide, and harmoniously domed.
• The midline of the forehead: A fine vertical crest carved in shallow relief divides the forehead in two. This line mimics traditional clan scarification and enhances perfect facial symmetry.
• The split eyes: The eyes are represented by two thin horizontal slits outlined with a slight relief. In Dan typology, these closed or narrowed eyes embody gentleness, interiority, serenity, and the feminine aspect of spirit.
• The mouth and nose: The nose is straight and well-proportioned. The mouth is sculpted with strong projection, largely open on fleshy lips and carefully drawn.
• The back and patina: The rear shows a deep, neat hollow conforming to the dancer’s face, with two distinct nostril perforations. The mask’s edge is dotted with evenly spaced mounting holes to anchor the heavy textile headdress and costume. In front, the wood has a smooth, dark brown patina with nuance.
2. Use and Ritual Function: The Deangle or Tankagle Mask
In Dan cosmology, masks are not merely stage adornments; they are the physical manifestation of the bush spirits (Gle) who wish to interact with humans:
• A benevolent and peaceful spirit: Because of its fine eyes and harmonious features, this mask belongs to the category of so-called "feminine" or peaceful masks, most often a Deangle (or a Tankagle). Unlike masks of justice or war, it embodies a joyful, protective, and friendly spirit.
• The link with Poro initiates: The Deangle plays an educational and crucial guiding role during the rite of passage for young boys within the secret society of Poro. When adolescents are isolated in the bush initiation camp, the mask bearer serves as a messenger. He leaves the sacred bush to go to the village to beg food from mothers and women for the initiates.
• Mediator and entertainer: Through its graceful presence, it also amuses the community. He moves by walking or dancing gracefully, interacts playfully with villagers, and may sing. Its inherent benevolence also helps ease tensions and restore harmony within the group during gatherings.
Packages are shipped Monday through Saturday with insurance and tracking number.
Delivery in 1 to 3 days in France via Chronopost, 2 to 5 days across the European Union.
Delivery in the rest of Europe and worldwide via Colissimo international.
We speak English
Mask African art African mask art Afrikanische Maskenkunst arte de máscaras africanas arte delle maschere africane arte delle statue africane Afrikanische Maskenkunst
Máscara de estatua de galería de arte africano
Seller's Story
Passionate about World Arts and more specifically about African Art, we buy from collectors, former officials, military, health workers, public works staff who have worked in Africa and also in Côte d'Ivoire, from antique dealers and traders who roam across West Africa to find quality objects.
It is with pride that we present works that, beyond their power to beautify spaces, invite our collectors to resonate with the richness and depth of human expression through the most authentic art.
At Arts Ethniques Gallery, we have the privilege of offering our visitors an exclusive selection of artworks, all unique and original. Each piece presented is the outcome of a demanding artistic approach, driven by a singular vision and mastered craftsmanship, all elements that guarantee authenticity and value.
The works we offer are not industrial reproductions. They are individual creations, crafted with sensitivity and precision, each bearing its own story, identity and presence. Originality is the very foundation of our commitment to excellence. Thus, every mask and every statue in our collection is the subject of a rigorous selection, in order to preserve their rarity and singularity.
Acquiring a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery means owning a truly unique piece: a creation that embodies both talent, cultural memory and the expressive force of African art. It is also a lasting investment in a work whose artistic and emotional value transcends time.
We guarantee that every work leaving our gallery is an authentic piece, without replicas, bearing witness to the creativity, heritage and passion of the African artists who shaped them.
We invite you to participate in our gallery’s auctions with confidence. Each presented work is an original, unique and irreplaceable creation, selected with the greatest rigor to guarantee its authenticity and artistic value.
Whether you wish to enrich a personal collection or introduce an exceptional artwork into your space, Arts Ethniques Gallery offers a safe, transparent and professional setting to acquire remarkable pieces.
Art auctions are a privileged moment to discover rare works, capable of becoming the heart of a collection. Acquiring a work at our sales is not just buying an object: it is investing in a creation whose aesthetic value and cultural reach reinforce over time.
The pieces presented by Arts Ethniques Gallery testify not only to the talent and vision of the artists but also possess the ability to transform spaces and enrich the gaze of those who behold them.
Participating in our auctions is taking part in a singular experience, where the passion for art meets the rigors of collecting. Bidding on a work from Arts Ethniques Gallery goes beyond a simple transaction: it is a gesture of commitment and appreciation for art in its most authentic form.
We invite you to bid with passion and to join us in this adventure dedicated to discovery, transmission and celebration of art.
Perhaps your next heart piece is already waiting for you."
Translated by Google TranslateDetails
Indigenous object name
Dance mask
Ethnic group/ culture
Dan
Country of Origin
Côte d'Ivoire
Material
Wood
Sold with stand
No
Condition
Good condition
Sold by
