African mask

African mask, mid-twentieth century.
Carved wood.
Measurements: 42 x 24 x 15 cm.
The mask represents an oval face, with the arch of the eyebrows very marked, continued in a long, straight and narrow nose. The eyes are two thin slits, open so that the wearer can see, and the mouth is worked in the shape of a double cylinder projected to the front. The masks are objects charged with a deep religious value. They are the visible image of the spirits or ancestors that manifest themselves in the dance. The masks not only cover the face of the dancer, but are inseparable from his dress made of cloth, palm leaves or raffia. Sometimes they are complemented with canes, stilts and rattles. They can have human or animal features, the colors used in the decoration bring meaning to each piece.