Dan Passport Mask Liberia MATTER COLLECTION

This African mask comes from Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire by the Dan people. This mask retains all the qualities of a beautiful carved mask from this region. The features are beautifully sculpted with attention to the detailing of eyes, nose and mouth. The holes around larger versions of this mask would have had the costume attached to it to cover and disguise the body of the dancer.

The Dan (or the Yacuba in some writing), in the past, lived in small villages and towns, ruling themselves through a complex arrangement of family lineages, men's secret societies and various initiation ceremonies. Famous for their masks, the Dan believe that spirits of the wild, known as Du, manifest themselves in masks and masquerades to instruct and sustain them in life. When, during a dream, a male was instructed by a Du to dance a mask, he would commission a carver to make a mask for him. Among the Dan, masks are grouped in an assortment of forms with different duties assigned to each.

Provenance: Matter Collection

From the collection of Margie and Phil Matter. Margie lived in South Africa, and later she and her husband Phil opened a gallery in Tucson. Everything in this collection was in their home for more than thirty years. Africa Direct recently bought the collection; at 95, Margie wants to share the things she has loved so much.