Fetish mask - Dogon - Mali
07
days
03
hours
46
minutes
10
seconds
Starting bid
€ 1
Reserve price not met
Expert
Selected by Julien Gauthier
A decade of experience in historical arms, armour, and African art.
Estimate € 150 - € 200
No bids placed
Catawiki Buyer Protection
Your payment’s safe with us until you receive your object.View details
Trustpilot 4.4 | 137024 reviews
Rated Excellent on Trustpilot.
Masque‑fétiche, a Dogon wooden mask from Mali, measuring 275 mm high, 140 mm wide and 120 mm deep, in good condition.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
Mali
Dogon
Bois
Height: 275mm
Width: 140mm
Depth: 120mm
This small Dogon mask is a very particular type, and its use has nothing to do with the large Kanaga or Sirige masks.
The Dogon have an extremely rich tradition, and small masks like this one have a ritual, domestic, and protective function, often little known.
1. This is not a dancing mask, but a “fetish mask”
The Dogon use two large categories of ritual objects:
- the large dancing masks (Kanaga, Sirige, Satimbe…)
- the small fetish-masks, never worn, used in sanctuaries
Your object clearly belongs to the second category.
It was not worn on the face, but placed, hung, or set in an altar.
2. Function: protection and mediation with the spirits
These small masks were used to:
- protect the house or the granary
- repel negative forces
- ensure fertility of the fields
- communicate with the ancestors
- stabilize the spiritual order of the lineage
They were regarded as intermediaries between humans and spirits (Nommo, ancestors, bush spirits).
3. Where were they placed?
According to Dogon villages, these small masks were:
- in a domestic altar
- in a family sanctuary
- in a ritual granary
- sometimes in the house of the lineage leader
They were part of a set of sacred objects (figurines, stones, horns, offerings).
4. How were they used?
The mask was:
- anointed with sacrificial blood, flour, millet beer, shea butter
- “nourished” during ceremonies
- consulted by an elder or a diviner
- activated to protect a family or a field
The wear, thick patina, and ritual deposits are typical of these objects.
5. Precise origin
This type of small mask comes from the Dogon of Mali,
often from the regions of Bandiagara, Sangha, Irélé, Téli, Yougo, Kani Bonzon.
Each village has its variants, but the function remains the same:
protection + spiritual mediation.
Conclusion
This small Dogon mask was used to:
- protect the house or the lineage
- repel negative forces
- receive ritual offerings
- communicate with the ancestors and spirits
- stabilize the spiritual order of the household
It is a power object, not a dance mask.
Fast and secure shipping. Packages are sent with insurance and tracking number.
Delivery by Chronopost between 1 to 3 days in France, 2 to 5 days in the European Union. Delivery to the rest of Europe, worldwide, and to islands with Colissimo International.
We speak English.
mask African art African mask art
Afrikanische Maskenkunst
arte de máscaras africanas
arte delle maschere africane
statue african art
Arte de estatuas africanas
arte delle statue africane
Afrikanische Maskenkunst
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 TranslateMali
Dogon
Bois
Height: 275mm
Width: 140mm
Depth: 120mm
This small Dogon mask is a very particular type, and its use has nothing to do with the large Kanaga or Sirige masks.
The Dogon have an extremely rich tradition, and small masks like this one have a ritual, domestic, and protective function, often little known.
1. This is not a dancing mask, but a “fetish mask”
The Dogon use two large categories of ritual objects:
- the large dancing masks (Kanaga, Sirige, Satimbe…)
- the small fetish-masks, never worn, used in sanctuaries
Your object clearly belongs to the second category.
It was not worn on the face, but placed, hung, or set in an altar.
2. Function: protection and mediation with the spirits
These small masks were used to:
- protect the house or the granary
- repel negative forces
- ensure fertility of the fields
- communicate with the ancestors
- stabilize the spiritual order of the lineage
They were regarded as intermediaries between humans and spirits (Nommo, ancestors, bush spirits).
3. Where were they placed?
According to Dogon villages, these small masks were:
- in a domestic altar
- in a family sanctuary
- in a ritual granary
- sometimes in the house of the lineage leader
They were part of a set of sacred objects (figurines, stones, horns, offerings).
4. How were they used?
The mask was:
- anointed with sacrificial blood, flour, millet beer, shea butter
- “nourished” during ceremonies
- consulted by an elder or a diviner
- activated to protect a family or a field
The wear, thick patina, and ritual deposits are typical of these objects.
5. Precise origin
This type of small mask comes from the Dogon of Mali,
often from the regions of Bandiagara, Sangha, Irélé, Téli, Yougo, Kani Bonzon.
Each village has its variants, but the function remains the same:
protection + spiritual mediation.
Conclusion
This small Dogon mask was used to:
- protect the house or the lineage
- repel negative forces
- receive ritual offerings
- communicate with the ancestors and spirits
- stabilize the spiritual order of the household
It is a power object, not a dance mask.
Fast and secure shipping. Packages are sent with insurance and tracking number.
Delivery by Chronopost between 1 to 3 days in France, 2 to 5 days in the European Union. Delivery to the rest of Europe, worldwide, and to islands with Colissimo International.
We speak English.
mask African art African mask art
Afrikanische Maskenkunst
arte de máscaras africanas
arte delle maschere africane
statue african art
Arte de estatuas africanas
arte delle statue africane
Afrikanische Maskenkunst
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
Fetish mask
Ethnic group/ culture
Dogon
Country of Origin
Mali
Material
Wood
Sold with stand
No
Condition
Good condition
Sold by
