17 - Anthropozoomorphic mask

Anthropozoomorphic mask with horns and a long, curved beak Wood, original glossy brown patina, localized crusty deposits between the horns, original internal signs of wear. Dan Mau, Republic of Côte d’Ivoire. H: 52 cm The elongated face is distinguished by the delicacy of its modeling: the domed forehead, divided by a central ridge, follows the curve of the brow ridges above the delicately half-open eyes. The protruding lips echo the long, split beak that extends from the chin. The tapered horns balance this slender composition, which displays great fluidity of form and beautiful precision in its transitions. The Mau people inhabit the northern edge of Dan country, around Touba, bordering the Mandinka peoples. Their beaked masks are generally associated with the Koma male initiatory society, whose members alone are permitted to see them: they are paraded through the village to attract and flush out the malevolent spirits that prowl the bush at night, and the substances lodged between the horns are believed to protect the wearer from witchcraft. Comparative reference: Susan Mullin Vogel, entry “Mask,” in *Notable Acquisitions, 1980–1981*, New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1981, p. 74: mask, Mau, Ivory Coast, gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. Gordon Douglas III, 1980, inv. 1980.545.4, H. 54.3 cm. Vogel highlights the combination of a face with Dan-style modeling and carefully finished surfaces with a bird-like appendage characteristic of Mau masks. The Metropolitan Museum’s example appears more primitive than ours, and the treatment of the features differs in several respects; however, a comparison highlights the smooth patina common to both works and the Dan influence evident in their faces. Documentary reference: Brooklyn Museum, New York, Koma Ba mask, Mau, Ivory Coast, late 19th–early 20th century, inv. 76.20.2.