A Fine Dan Mask

A Dan Mask
Wood,
Old ‘metal’ staple repair
West Africa - Côte d’Ivoire
19th / early 20th Century - circa 1900

Size: 22cm high, 13cm wide - 8? ins high, 5¼ ins wide

Provenance:
Ex John Hewitt, London
Private collection, Hampstead, London
Ex Private UK collection

Dan masks exhibit a diverse range of designs, spanning from naturalistic to highly stylised. The Dan employed a bewildering variety of masks for various purposes. These masks could undergo transformations during their lifespan, adapting to different forms of masquerade or dance rituals. The men who donned these masks and performed within them were believed to have received visions from the mask spirits. While masks could be passed down through generations through inheritance, the masquerade itself was dependent on the dream, which served as an acknowledgment from the mask. Consequently, a mask could remain dormant for a generation until a new dancer was visited by a dream. The re-emergence of the mask might be accompanied by a distinct masquerade, incorporating the costume, movements, and musical accompaniment dictated by the dream.