Rare Dan mask type BAKOROGUI, Guinea.

Large hemispherical forehead with three curved ritual irons, protruding bird beak nose, protruding eyebrow arches. Scarification Diomandé on each side and on all the height. Round eyes pierced and raised with aluminium circle, remains of monkey skin on the lower part, fixed by curved headless nails. Very beautiful tapered profile, slightly curvilinear.

Initiation mask of the PORO (secret brotherhood). The curved forehead and the musky nose are signs of masculinity, characteristic of the Bakorogui mask.

Beautiful patina of black use, brown on the edges beautiful work of incision on the back.

Eugène Bettra base.

To compare:

•     Collection of African art Museum of Grenoble, a heritage unveiled (5 continents) page 67 and 88 donated by Paul Guillaume in 1923 (very close).
•     Medusa in Africa Musée ethnographique de Geneve (5 continents) page 211 N°109.
•     In Art d'Afrique noire N° 52 (winter 1984) page 26 Mask DAN collection Paolo Morigi, mask very close.
•     Dans secret d'initiés, page 86 N° 57, Bokorogu mask from the Macenta region, gift of Henri Labouret in 1933. Mask in the collections of the Musée de l'Homme.

Origin :

•     Reserve Boca Raton Museum Florida.