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THBEarly 20th C. African Dogon Wood Kanaga Mask
Lot 177
About Seller
Artemis Gallery
686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States
Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more
Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$3,000 - $4,500
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| $0 | $25 |
| $300 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 | $20,000 |
About Auction
Live
By Artemis Gallery
Aug 30, 2018
Set Reminder
2018-08-30 10:00:00
2018-08-30 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Fine Antiquities / Asian / Ethnographic Art
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/fine-antiquities-asian-ethnographic-art-3402
Featuring classical antiquities, Asian, ancient and ethnographic art from cultures encompassing the globe, plus fine art. Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
Featuring classical antiquities, Asian, ancient and ethnographic art from cultures encompassing the globe, plus fine art. Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (396)
- Lot Description
West Africa, Mali, Dogon people, ca. early to mid 20th century CE. A classic example of one of the most striking Dogon artifacts, a mask, known as a "kanaga." Hand-carved from wood, the mask itself features a face with a rectangular form and deep, hollowed out channels for the eyes. A sharply acute angle in the center of the face acts as the nose, and there is no mouth. Two long, projecting rectangles with deep grooves down their length form ears. The edges of the mask are perforated and thick twisted rope is wound through them, forming supports for wearing it. The mask has a huge superstructure composed of a tall, narrow, flat board that projects from the top of the head, two horizontal boards that project from it, and four small boards, one attached to each end of the horizontal boards using rope. Size: 8.6" L x 27.25" W x 42.25" H (21.8 cm x 69.2 cm x 107.3 cm)
Masks like this one are worn at dama, which is a funerary rite for Dogon men. Dogon dancers wear them to honor the dead, and to communicate with them as they travel to the spiritual realm. They rotate their upper bodies, swinging the masks in wide circles in imitation of the creator god, known as Amma, with the long reach of their masks and arms meant to symbolically spread creation throughout the world. These masks are made by the members of the Awa male initiation society, who are also the performers. See a very similar example at the Brooklyn Museum (1995.171.11a-c). Their website has a fantastic video of dancers wearing masks like this one.
Provenance: private Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA collection; ex San Antonio, Texas, USA collection
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#127310Mask in good condition with some abrasion and loss of paint, an old native repair on left forehead and loss below the beak/mouth proper. Includes custom wall mount.Condition
- Shipping Info
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