We Mask Lot n° 23

Ivory Coast Wood, iron, fibers, and pigments 21 cm; 34 cm (incl. beard) Provenance: Merton Simpson Gallery, New York Carole & Howard Tanenbaum collection, Toronto Galerie Jacques Germain, Montreal Private collection, Brussels Published: Jacques Germain, Art Ancien de l'Afrique Noire VI, Montreal, 2013, pp.40-41 (ill.) Beggar mask embodying both the masculine and feminine essence of a half-divine entity. The name "mendicant" derives from the fact that the wearer solicits donations during his outings, which can occur at any time. As is the case with certain masks and Dan figures, the We artist will have covered the upper part of the face with braids held in place by metal hooks. The forehead is marked with tegumentary scarification, in a central ridge that is similar to that found in many societies in Liberia and Ivory Coast. Perfectly adapted to the human face, this mask displays a mouth lined with small metal teeth and slit-shaped eyes that allow the dancer to avoid being recognized by the villagers. Performances of We masks may span the careers of many generations of wearers, contributing to the increasingly sacred status of these objects. The ancient patina of repeated use testifies to the importance of this very mask.