DAN MASKS with HEADDRESSES, Liberia and Ivory Coast

This mask has been vetted as authentic and is a good example of Dan workmanship from the mid 20th century.

DAN STYLE MASKS with HEADDRESSES ARCHIVES, Liberia and Ivory Coast

Despite their appearance, the masks below were probably made to be sold.

Photographs © Hamill Gallery

DAN STYLE MASKS WITH HEADDRESSES, Liberia and Ivory Coast

There are regional variations among the masks of the Dan people who live in the western part of Ivory Coast and eastern Liberia, but they are generally characterized by a concave face, a pointed chin, a protruding mouth, an upturned nose and a high-domed forehead.

Now used principally in performance for tourists, Dan various masks had traditional functions ranging from entertainment to initiation to social control.

We recommend an excellent chapter on the masks of the Dan people, including the various styles and their functions, in The Tribal Arts of Africa by Jean-Baptiste Bacquart.

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