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View at the museum ↗Face Mask
DanLate 19th or early 20th century
- Attribution
- Dan Possibly Liberia Coastal West Africa
- Medium
- Wood, metal, and nails
- Physical dimensions
- H.: 34.9 cm (14 3/4 in.)
- Credit line
- Gift of Mr. and Mrs. James W. Alsdorf
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Source rights statement: Public-domain image eligibility not established by this export
View the museum record ↗From the museum
Dan masks can be male, female, or a mixture of both like the one with a crocodile-like muzzle displayed here. They are manifestations of forest spirits that reveal themselves in dreams to sculptors. A naturalistic or stylized embodiment is then created under the direction of the spirit-patron. There are 11 different types of Dan masks, each with different names and meanings recognized by villages on the borders between Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire.
Description: Art Institute of Chicago · CC BY 4.0