Baule Ivory Coast Important Kpan mask from the Goli group. O - Lot 115

Baule Ivory Coast Important Kpan mask from the Goli group. Of rare quality, this example of a female mask is carved from heavy wood and has acquired a deep reddish-brown patina on the face and black on the hairstyle, which consists of four buns and is particularly elaborate and finely executed. The mouth, with its delicately hemmed lips, projects forward, half-open, allowing the dancer relative visibility during dances. The protruding collar at the back was used to fasten the dancer's costume, which often featured a leopard skin, an attribute associated with royalty and power. Cf. S. Vogel 1999, A.M. Boyer 2001 Compare with the mask in the Barbier-Mueller Museum's former Hubert Goldet collection, inv. 1007-228, and with the mask in the Indiana University Museum of Art. Provenance: Galerie Afrique Collection Annie Minet Méranda Height: 43 cm