African Arts Gallery

This African mask Dan named Déanglé, of a high quality of execution, offers a fine face where the mouth, balanced by a curved nose, forms the salient element. An elaborately braided hairstyle contours the forehead and temples.
Grainy black patina.

Height on base: 36 cm.
The Dan live in western Côte d'Ivoire, but also in Liberia. Also called Yacouba, they have a powerful initiatory society, that of the Leopard. The Dan masks, of various designs, generally occur during very theatrical entertainment parties where women play a preponderant role. The so-called "mocking" mask called Déanglé defines an ideal of beauty and benevolence because it is sculpted in honor of the young girls of the village or famous men. Also used during circumcision rites, they appear in the company of the gle sö singing masks and the large go ge masks relating to the go society, who administers justice and maintains peace.