Senegalese Mahogany Mask 19-20″

Charming and colorful, this Dan Dancer Figure from Ivory Coast is a terrific example of the art of the Ivory Coast.  The figure has a traditional African mask, which is oval shaped and depicts human features.  It is black with a red band around the eyes.  The figure wears a red, coned cap and has red yarn for hair.  It has a blue shirt and grass skirt over white pants that are embroidered with traditional African designs.  The dancer is 14”-18” in height.  It makes cheerful and captivating addition to the décor of any room.

The figure represents a traditional dancer of the Ivory Coast stilt walkers. It is a ritual dance that protects the village and is celebrated during ceremonies, such as weddings, funerals, initiations and other special occasions. The costume-mask is often composed of a headdress, a wide skirt in palm fiber and a cloak of cloth, that completely covers the wearer, hiding his body, respecting the belief that the mask is a spirit of the forest and not a human being. The natural fiber represents the wild forest while the fabric represents the civilized human society and the mask is a mediator between these two worlds.