Anthropomorphic face mask "sagbwe" or "gunyege"
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Lot: 156
95th Tribal Art AuctionAnthropomorphic face mask "sagbwe" or "gunyege"
Côte d'Ivoire / Liberia, Dan-Yacouba
| Provenance | Size | Starting price / estimated price |
|---|---|---|
| Peter Loebarth, Hameln, Germany Kurt Wagner, Munich, Germany (before 1998) |
H: 10.6 inch | This object is not available anymore. |
wood, metal, fur, rest. (rim zone)
This mask belongs to the complex of "sagbwe" masks, which are often also called "runner" or "fire watcher" masks.
This is due to the fact that the initiates go through a special training which includes competitive running contests and that during the dry season their main duty is to protect the village from fire.
They are mainly found in the northern Dan region, where they are called "gunyege" or "gunye gä".
Fagaly, William, Ancestors of Congo Square, New Orleans 2011, p. 101 f.
"Mua Mingo", Faszination Afrika, Kult- und Gebrauchsgegenstände des Schwarzen Kontinents, Privatsammlung Kurt Wagner, Congress Centrum Amberg, 25.7 - 30.8.1998 (cover)
