Dan — Liberia or Côte d'Ivoire
1920s
Wood and pigment
Height: 8¾ in (22.2 cm)
Provenance: Constance McCormick Fearing Collection, Santa Barbara, acquired in the 1960s; thence by descent
This mask is carved with a smooth oval face, round eye openings, arched brows, narrow nose, and downturned mouth. The dark polished surface carries softened edges and a deep patina consistent with repeated handling and performance use over an extended period. The restrained facial structure and balanced proportions reflect the refined sculptural language associated with Dan mask traditions of Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire.
Dan masks functioned within performance contexts where form, presence, and movement carried social and spiritual meaning, and the quiet authority of this example is well suited to that role. The piece was acquired by Constance McCormick Fearing, Santa Barbara, in the 1960s and retained by descent — a provenance that places it within one of the more significant American private collections of African art assembled during that period.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Dan — Liberia or Côte d'Ivoire
1920s
Wood and pigment
Height: 8¾ in (22.2 cm)
Provenance: Constance McCormick Fearing Collection, Santa Barbara, acquired in the 1960s; thence by descent
This mask is carved with a smooth oval face, round eye openings, arched brows, narrow nose, and downturned mouth. The dark polished surface carries softened edges and a deep patina consistent with repeated handling and performance use over an extended period. The restrained facial structure and balanced proportions reflect the refined sculptural language associated with Dan mask traditions of Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire.
Dan masks functioned within performance contexts where form, presence, and movement carried social and spiritual meaning, and the quiet authority of this example is well suited to that role. The piece was acquired by Constance McCormick Fearing, Santa Barbara, in the 1960s and retained by descent — a provenance that places it within one of the more significant American private collections of African art assembled during that period.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
