Dan Gle Mask

Title / Mask Name: Dan Gle Mask

Ethnic Group: Dan (Gio/Yakuba)

Country of Origin: Cote d'Ivoire / Liberia

A Dan Gle mask from the Dan people of the Cote d'Ivoire and Liberia border region. Compact and serene in form, the mask features a smooth oval face, circular tubular eye sockets with round perforations, a raised arched brow ridge meeting at a central point, a broad flat nose with flared nostrils, and slightly parted lips. The dark burnished surface carries warm golden-brown tones developed through age and handling. Perforations along the rim once secured a full raffia costume during performance. Among the Dan, each mask (gle) embodies a distinct spirit with its own character and function. The soft, symmetrical modelling of this piece suggests a serene or feminine spirit presence within the Dan ceremonial hierarchy.

Height: 20 cm / 7.9 in

Width: 12.5 cm / 4.9 in

Depth: 7.5 cm / 3.0 in

Weight: 0.15 kg / 0.33 lbs

(Tip: 1 inch = 2.54 cm; 1 lb = 0.453592 kg)

Collected From: Art dealer, Accra, Ghana

Offered in as-found condition. Surface wear, patination, and aging are inherent to authentic artifacts and reflect the object's history, not defects.