Ligbi Yangaleya mask, Ivory Coast, wood - Lot 51

Lot 51
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Estimation :
200 - 300 EUR
Ligbi Yangaleya mask, Ivory Coast, wood - Lot 51
Ligbi Yangaleya mask, Ivory Coast, wood H.28cmxW.18cm A human face without a nose is topped by a large bird's beak, creating a spectacular, almost surreal juxtaposition of anthropomorphic and zoomorphic elements that blend harmoniously. French explorer Louis Tauxier was one of the first to describe the Do ceremonies in his book Le Noir de Bondoukou, published in 1921. According to Tauxier, the Diula of Bondoukou celebrated the end of Ramadan with public masked dances every evening for seven days after the fast was broken. This elegant mask harmoniously combines a human face with the powerful, pointed beak of the hornbill (Yangaleya). Among the most popular masks, hornbills like this one were seen at the very end of celebrations, either alone or in pairs. Spectators appreciated the elegance of the dancer's movements and were reassured by the benevolent, positive character symbolized by these beautiful birds. Yangaleya was honored through delicate forms, as it was a bird that the Diula and Ligbi admired.
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