A Marka-Dafing buffalo mask, Burkina Faso, of hollowed oval form, a fan-shaped beard, a rectangular, protruding mouth with carved rows of teeth that are bared through open lips, featuring square projections on the forehead, one of them forms the nose, the eyes are two geometric apertures and are aligned horizontally with the ears, large flat ears projecting outwardly from the face and balancing the horn-shaped superstructure, surmounted by curved buffalo horns, the whole piece is decorated by incised horizontal, vertical, diagonal lines and geometric patterns such as checkerboard, triangles and stars in relief; the entire mask is carved from a single piece of brown wood and dyed black, white and red, pierced through at the rim for attachment; traces of age and ritual use, incl. stand.

This mask is related to the Marka-Dafing buffalo mask from Lempertz Auction 1063, African and Oceanic Art, Brussels.

"The Marka-Dafing peoples live in north central Burkina Faso. They migrated into the area from north, bringing Mande-style carving with them, adding to their masks the red, white, and black graphic patterns that are so typical of the many people of Burkina Faso. The Dafing have blended ideas about religion and spirituality, economics, education, and farming from the various cultures among whom they have lived. According to Christopher Roy and Thomas Wheelock, there are very few examples of Marka-Dafing masks."

"Dafing wood and leaf masks appear at annual renewal of village purification ceremonies, at funerals of male and female elders and the initiations of young boys. Masks are family oriented, with each clan, as among all peoples in Burkina Faso taking responsibility for the carving of masks that represent animal and supernatural characters in the clans histories. A single clan can use masks of wood or of leaves. The wood and leaf masks never dance together, although they may appear on the same day or the same event. (...) Masks of wood represent spirits from the bush that watch over the families and protect them from sorcery."

Lit.: Christopher D. Roy/Thomas G.B. Wheelock: Land of the Flying Masks. Art and Culture in Burkina Faso. The Thomas G. B. Wheelock Collection, Prestel 2007, p. 64 and 413; Metmuseum Collection African Art Marka Dafing.

900 - 1.200,- Euro

sold

Height: 85 cm
Weight: 4,60 kg