DAN GAGON MASKS, Ivory Coast and Liberia

 

 DAN
Gagon Mask 474
11" high
SOLD

The mask above has been vetted as being authentic with signs of use and age.

DAN STYLE GAGON MASKS, Ivory Coast and Liberia

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

 

 DAN STYLE
Gagon Mask 472
19"
SOLD

 DAN STYLE
Gagon Mask 476
16"
SOLD

 DAN STYLE
Gagon Mask 477
19"
SOLD

Photographs © Tim Hamill

DAN, GAGON MASKS, 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, the 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.

GAGON MASKS

Masks with a large beak-like form and beard of monkey fur, often with a moveable lower jaw, are Gagon masks. Originally an educational mask instructing people on the importance of the hornbill bird to their culture, they are now used mostly for entertainment.

GO TO DAN GAGON MASK ARCHIVES PAGE (ALL SOLD)

GO TO DAN ART PAGE

GO TO MASKS OF THE DAN EXHIBITION PAGE

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GO TO DAN METAL MASKS PAGE

GO TO DAN MASKS AND HEADDRESSES PAGE

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