West Africa, Liberia and Ivory Coast, Dan peoples, ca. late 19th to mid-20th century CE. A hand-carved wooden mask known as a "gle" or "ge" used during ceremonial dances by the Dan peoples. The tear-drop shaped face contains arched brows above slit-form eyes, a broad nose, full lips held slightly parted, and perforations are featured along the periphery, allowing it to be strapped to the headdress or costume of the wearer. Masks like this example are believed to be spiritually charged by dangerous immaterial forest spirits. When male performers wear the mask, they experience a dream sent by it that allows them to dance in the way the spirit intends. Size: 9.25" L x 5.5" W (23.5 cm x 14 cm); 12" H (30.5 cm) on included custom stand.

The Dan people, who live in Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire, produce masks for nearly every element or occasion of their society, including education, war, peace, and entertainment. In Mande, the Dan language, masks are referred to as "gle" or "ge," which is also the term for the supernatural beings who live outside the village and who can inhabit the masks during ritual practices. Men may have dreams or visions sent by the mask which they interpret through dance. There are over a dozen different characters that the masks represent in skits and mimes, but the meaning of the masks and personalities they portray may change over time as the mask is handed down through the generations.

Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-Hermann Sommerhage collection, Germany; AHDRC object #0174217

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#177021

Lustrous patina throughout. Tiny hairline pressure lines on face and near perforated suspension holes, otherwise intact. Great condition with old inventory label on the verso.