18 - Mask with a scarified forehead

Mask with a scarified forehead featuring a central ridge Wood, original honey- and brown-colored patina, signs of internal wear. Dan, Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia. 23 x 13.5 cm A central ridge runs across the forehead and extends into the nose, around which the entire face is structured. Geometric scarifications, consisting of arcs and intersecting lines, emphasize the symmetry of the composition. The narrowly slit eyes and the slightly parted mouth, with carefully rendered lips, give the mask a reserved expression. These features bring it close to the deangle masks, benevolent figures that served, in particular, as a link between the initiation camps and the village, where they would come to ask for food. Documentary reference: Musée des Confluences, Lyon, Mask with a female face, inv. 60004148, entry dedicated to the distinction between deangle and tankagle.