Five Miniature West African Wood Face Masks – Dan Ma Go (Auction 2026-05-15, Lot 103)

Sold

West Africa, Cote d’Ivoire and Liberia, Dan, Bassa, or Mano peoples, ca. early to mid-20th century CE. A compelling group of five miniature wood face masks, each carved in the refined idiom of the Dan and related peoples, where smooth planes, slit eyes, and softly modeled features suggest the deangle type – the graceful, feminine spirit of the forest. These diminutive forms, known as ma go or “small heads,” were never intended for wear, but instead served as intimate vessels of spiritual presence, carried on the body, kept among personal belongings, or displayed in ritual contexts as portable embodiments of powerful masquerade spirits. Over time, their surfaces would have been nourished with oil, food, and sacrificial offerings, developing varied patinas that speak to their roles as protective charms, identifiers, oath objects, and enduring links between individuals, ancestors, and the unseen world. Size of largest (one with openwork top): 1.3″ W x 2.5″ H (3.3 cm x 6.4 cm)

Provenance: private Thousand Oaks, California, USA collection, acquired 1970s to 2000s

Good. Weathering to surfaces as shown, but, otherwise, all are intact and excellent with light patina.