Dan Mask

Refined Dan mask, masterfully executed, revealing all the subtlety and sculptural power characteristic of the art of Côte d'Ivoire. The prominent forehead, arched eyebrows, delicately elongated eyes highlighted in relief, the broad nasal bridge, prominent cheekbones, and slightly parted full lips create a face of perfect harmony. The area around the eyes retains beautiful traces of kaolin and ancient polychromy, a particularly rare feature, as these elements have often been erased by washings intended to satisfy European tastes. This high-quality work stands out for its deeply sculptural aspect, where each plane of the face seems animated by an inner tension. The deep, shiny brown patina, enriched by time and ritual handling, gives the whole a striking and spiritual presence. Through its fine execution, the rare preservation of its polychromy, and its unique sculptural presence, this mask stands out as a remarkable example of the Dan corpus, imbued with dignity, spirituality, and timeless elegance. Provenance: Spanish private collection, then David Serra collection, Barcelona. Belgian private collection, then Jonas de Boeck collection. Comparative literature: Alain-Michel Boyer, Patrick Girard, Marceau Rivière. 1997. ARTS PREMIERS DE CÔTE D'IVOIRE. Sepia.-Masques. Musée Dapper. Paris. 1995-L'Autre Visage, Masques Africains de la Collection Barbier-Mueller. Adam Biro. Germany. 1997-Kerchache, Paudrat, Stephan, 1988. L'Art Africain. Mazenod, France.