DOGON KANAGA MASK
MALI
£378
Antiquities and African & Oceanic Art
Auction: African & Oceanic Art - 31 July 2024 at 2pm
Description
carved wood, the face mask with a wooden superstructure above in the form of a double barred cross with short vertical elements projecting from the tips of each horizontal bar, white pigment on face and superstructure, red pigment to netted fibre backing
Dimensions
108cm tall
Provenance
Provenance:
Private collection, United Kingdom
Footnote
At a dama funeral, a towering plank mask known as sirige (an example of which is displayed nearby) appears after the performance of several cross-shaped kanaga masks. Admired for the vigorously sweeping movements of its dancer, kanaga is worn with a colorful costume that includes a plaited fiber hood and cowrie-shell-covered vest. It appears in groups that range from a few masks to as many as 70.