A Maou Mask, "sagbwe" Lot n° 10

Mask, "jagbwe Mau, Côte d'Ivoire Mit Sockel / with base Wood, textile, metal, human hair. H 23 cm. Provenance: - According to collection sheet: Jean-Michel Huguenin, Galerie Majestic, Paris, 1991. - Sandro Bocola (1931-2022), Zurich. Because the use and meaning of the masks, in addition to the geographically always existing differences, has changed over time, subsequent statements about the use at that time are sometimes difficult. Some evidence suggests that this is a "sagbwe" (also "jagbwe") called runner, or fire alarm mask, which, unlike most other mask types, neither danced nor sang. During the dry season, such masked figures checked whether the women had extinguished the hearth fire in the afternoon, as there was an increased danger of fire due to the whirlwinds. In case of violations, they intervened punitively and could sometimes take a deposit that had to be redeemed later. Further reading: Fischer, Eberhard / Himmelheber, Hans (1976). The Art of Dan. Zurich: Museum Rietberg. CHF 400 / 800