Mask

Anthropomorphic mask of the Dan people, Mali or Côte d'Ivoire. The face, with its perfectly oval shape, is characterized by tubular eyes, a ridged nose, and large, full open lips; the teeth are missing. A thin ridge extends the line of the nose across the broad forehead, while the round eyes, positioned at the center of the face, contribute to its carefully balanced proportions. The object has lost almost all of its sacrificial patina. It belongs to the Bassani Collection, now housed at MUDEC (inv. AFR 00032, 2513A).

Photo: Paolo Vandrasch, Milano; Giuliano Spagnul, Milano; Vivi Papi, Varese.

Courtesy MUDEC.