The Ligbi are a small tribe, who live on either side of the border between the Ivory Coast and Ghana (where they originally lived). The present, typical Ligbi mask (see also cat. no. 34) is carved from hard, brown wood in oblong form, and coloured black. It displays a tall hairstyle (or cap?) made from five ‘leaves’, highly set ears and a straight, horizontal eyebrow line with a hatched, protruding, semicircular area below it. There are customary tribal scarification marks of the Ligbi people on the wide, smooth forehead, on both cheeks and on its conspicuously protruding mouth.
Also the round projections, like ‘little feet’, on the right and left sides of the mask face are characteristic of this type of Ligbi mask. These projections are very similar to those of the well-known Kpelie or Kodal masks of the Senufo people (see also cat. no. 40). Only these Ligbi projections are smaller than those on the Senufo masks. The Senufo are neighbours of the Ligbi people.
The mask is a very fine example of this rare type. It has an old shiny patina as a result of protracted use (especially on the inside) as well as some minor, age-related damage (slightly chipped sides, a piece broken off the chin as well as on the back rim). Height: 30 cm; first third of the 20th century. (ME)

Provenance:
Private collection Paris; Austrian private collection.

Lit.:
'African Art in American Collections' by Robbins & Nooter, ill. 145, 146; 'The Tribal Arts of Africa' by Jean-Baptiste Bacquart, ill. p. 75.