Lot: 155

95th Tribal Art Auction

Face mask with dot painting

Côte d'Ivoire, Dan-Yacouba

Provenance Size Starting price / estimated price
H: 8.9 inch This object is not available anymore.

wood, kaolin, metal, base

This is one of the rare face masks of the Dan, in which a disease, probably smallpox, is depicted. According to Fischer/Himmelheber, however, these masks were not used to cure the sick, but were used to entertain the villagers.


Fischer, Eberhard & Hans Himmelheber, Die Kunst der Dan, Zürich 1976, p. 118