Dogon mask Mali - Lot 14

Lot n° 14
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Estimation :
600 - 800 EUR
Dogon mask Mali - Lot 14
Dogon mask Mali Wood, natural pigments in red, yellow, white and blue Height: 91 cm Used in Dogon country, this type of mask appeared at the time of the dama mourning ceremony. It evokes the creator god Amma, signifying birth and regeneration. According to myth, he is linked to the ancestors of mankind. An elongated, schematized face, inscribed in a rectangular shape, enhanced with brown, black, red and blue pigments. The play of planes and volumes remarkably accentuates its expressiveness. The contours of the face are magnified by medium relief and different planes; the cheeks and eyes are recessed. The rounded forehead in relief, marked and delineated by an arch of the eyebrows drawn with a linear line, heralding the large hollows signifying the hollowed-out eyes. The fine, linear nasal bridge divides the face in two, beautifully marking the rhythm of the face as it extends from the forehead to the mouth. Two flattened sides on either side of the face, delicately decorated with colorful geometric motifs, end in triangular shapes symbolizing small horns, giving the mask a zoomorphic shape and announcing the skyward-sweeping headdress. The sophisticated yet refined headdress features a triangular openwork design, topped by a flattened rectangular crest. Rich polychromy of natural red, blue, black and white pigments, very well preserved on this fine example.
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