African mask Dan Déanglé, tribal art, Ivory Coast, 23 cm, 20th century

This déanglé mask of the dan people, originally from ivory coast or liberia, embodies the traditional aesthetic of this ethnic group. Made of carved wood with a glossy black patina, it features elegant and stylized features, with openwork almond-shaped eyes, a protruding nose, and a half-open mouth. Its design symbolizes an ideal of beauty and benevolence. Worn during festive and ritual ceremonies, this mask was associated with dances honoring young village girls or prestigious figures. It was also used in circumcision rites and the activities of the go secret society, guarantors of social order. A distinctive element of this mask is the presence of small metal studs on the top of the skull, a recurring ornamental addition in dan sculptures. The interior of the mask bears a handwritten inscription of the carver's name, a detail that attests to its relatively recent manufacture, probably from the second half of the 20th century.